a606b5e24b
kgdboe is not presently included kgdb, and there should be no references to it. Also fix the tcp port terminal connection example. Signed-off-by: Jason Wessel <jason.wessel@windriver.com>
442 lines
18 KiB
XML
442 lines
18 KiB
XML
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
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<!DOCTYPE book PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.1.2//EN"
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"http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/xml/4.1.2/docbookx.dtd" []>
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<book id="kgdbOnLinux">
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<bookinfo>
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<title>Using kgdb and the kgdb Internals</title>
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<authorgroup>
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<author>
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<firstname>Jason</firstname>
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<surname>Wessel</surname>
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<affiliation>
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<address>
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<email>jason.wessel@windriver.com</email>
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</address>
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</affiliation>
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</author>
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</authorgroup>
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<authorgroup>
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<author>
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<firstname>Tom</firstname>
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<surname>Rini</surname>
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<affiliation>
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<address>
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<email>trini@kernel.crashing.org</email>
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</address>
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</affiliation>
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</author>
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</authorgroup>
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<authorgroup>
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<author>
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<firstname>Amit S.</firstname>
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<surname>Kale</surname>
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<affiliation>
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<address>
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<email>amitkale@linsyssoft.com</email>
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</address>
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</affiliation>
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</author>
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</authorgroup>
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<copyright>
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<year>2008</year>
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<holder>Wind River Systems, Inc.</holder>
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</copyright>
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<copyright>
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<year>2004-2005</year>
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<holder>MontaVista Software, Inc.</holder>
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</copyright>
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<copyright>
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<year>2004</year>
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<holder>Amit S. Kale</holder>
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</copyright>
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<legalnotice>
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<para>
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This file is licensed under the terms of the GNU General Public License
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version 2. This program is licensed "as is" without any warranty of any
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kind, whether express or implied.
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</para>
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</legalnotice>
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</bookinfo>
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<toc></toc>
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<chapter id="Introduction">
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<title>Introduction</title>
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<para>
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kgdb is a source level debugger for linux kernel. It is used along
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with gdb to debug a linux kernel. The expectation is that gdb can
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be used to "break in" to the kernel to inspect memory, variables
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and look through call stack information similar to what an
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application developer would use gdb for. It is possible to place
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breakpoints in kernel code and perform some limited execution
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stepping.
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</para>
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<para>
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Two machines are required for using kgdb. One of these machines is a
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development machine and the other is a test machine. The kernel
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to be debugged runs on the test machine. The development machine
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runs an instance of gdb against the vmlinux file which contains
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the symbols (not boot image such as bzImage, zImage, uImage...).
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In gdb the developer specifies the connection parameters and
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connects to kgdb. The type of connection a developer makes with
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gdb depends on the availability of kgdb I/O modules compiled as
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builtin's or kernel modules in the test machine's kernel.
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</para>
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</chapter>
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<chapter id="CompilingAKernel">
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<title>Compiling a kernel</title>
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<para>
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To enable <symbol>CONFIG_KGDB</symbol> you should first turn on
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"Prompt for development and/or incomplete code/drivers"
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(CONFIG_EXPERIMENTAL) in "General setup", then under the
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"Kernel debugging" select "KGDB: kernel debugging with remote gdb".
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</para>
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<para>
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Next you should choose one of more I/O drivers to interconnect debugging
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host and debugged target. Early boot debugging requires a KGDB
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I/O driver that supports early debugging and the driver must be
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built into the kernel directly. Kgdb I/O driver configuration
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takes place via kernel or module parameters, see following
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chapter.
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</para>
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<para>
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The kgdb test compile options are described in the kgdb test suite chapter.
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</para>
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</chapter>
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<chapter id="EnableKGDB">
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<title>Enable kgdb for debugging</title>
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<para>
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In order to use kgdb you must activate it by passing configuration
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information to one of the kgdb I/O drivers. If you do not pass any
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configuration information kgdb will not do anything at all. Kgdb
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will only actively hook up to the kernel trap hooks if a kgdb I/O
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driver is loaded and configured. If you unconfigure a kgdb I/O
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driver, kgdb will unregister all the kernel hook points.
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</para>
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<para>
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All drivers can be reconfigured at run time, if
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<symbol>CONFIG_SYSFS</symbol> and <symbol>CONFIG_MODULES</symbol>
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are enabled, by echo'ing a new config string to
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<constant>/sys/module/<driver>/parameter/<option></constant>.
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The driver can be unconfigured by passing an empty string. You cannot
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change the configuration while the debugger is attached. Make sure
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to detach the debugger with the <constant>detach</constant> command
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prior to trying unconfigure a kgdb I/O driver.
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</para>
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<sect1 id="kgdbwait">
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<title>Kernel parameter: kgdbwait</title>
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<para>
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The Kernel command line option <constant>kgdbwait</constant> makes
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kgdb wait for a debugger connection during booting of a kernel. You
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can only use this option you compiled a kgdb I/O driver into the
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kernel and you specified the I/O driver configuration as a kernel
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command line option. The kgdbwait parameter should always follow the
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configuration parameter for the kgdb I/O driver in the kernel
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command line else the I/O driver will not be configured prior to
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asking the kernel to use it to wait.
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</para>
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<para>
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The kernel will stop and wait as early as the I/O driver and
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architecture will allow when you use this option. If you build the
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kgdb I/O driver as a kernel module kgdbwait will not do anything.
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</para>
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</sect1>
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<sect1 id="kgdboc">
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<title>Kernel parameter: kgdboc</title>
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<para>
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The kgdboc driver was originally an abbreviation meant to stand for
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"kgdb over console". Kgdboc is designed to work with a single
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serial port. It was meant to cover the circumstance
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where you wanted to use a serial console as your primary console as
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well as using it to perform kernel debugging. Of course you can
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also use kgdboc without assigning a console to the same port.
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</para>
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<sect2 id="UsingKgdboc">
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<title>Using kgdboc</title>
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<para>
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You can configure kgdboc via sysfs or a module or kernel boot line
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parameter depending on if you build with CONFIG_KGDBOC as a module
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or built-in.
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<orderedlist>
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<listitem><para>From the module load or build-in</para>
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<para><constant>kgdboc=<tty-device>,[baud]</constant></para>
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<para>
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The example here would be if your console port was typically ttyS0, you would use something like <constant>kgdboc=ttyS0,115200</constant> or on the ARM Versatile AB you would likely use <constant>kgdboc=ttyAMA0,115200</constant>
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</para>
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</listitem>
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<listitem><para>From sysfs</para>
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<para><constant>echo ttyS0 > /sys/module/kgdboc/parameters/kgdboc</constant></para>
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</listitem>
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</orderedlist>
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</para>
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<para>
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NOTE: Kgdboc does not support interrupting the target via the
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gdb remote protocol. You must manually send a sysrq-g unless you
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have a proxy that splits console output to a terminal problem and
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has a separate port for the debugger to connect to that sends the
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sysrq-g for you.
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</para>
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<para>When using kgdboc with no debugger proxy, you can end up
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connecting the debugger for one of two entry points. If an
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exception occurs after you have loaded kgdboc a message should print
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on the console stating it is waiting for the debugger. In case you
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disconnect your terminal program and then connect the debugger in
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its place. If you want to interrupt the target system and forcibly
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enter a debug session you have to issue a Sysrq sequence and then
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type the letter <constant>g</constant>. Then you disconnect the
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terminal session and connect gdb. Your options if you don't like
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this are to hack gdb to send the sysrq-g for you as well as on the
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initial connect, or to use a debugger proxy that allows an
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unmodified gdb to do the debugging.
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</para>
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</sect2>
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</sect1>
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<sect1 id="kgdbcon">
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<title>Kernel parameter: kgdbcon</title>
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<para>
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Kgdb supports using the gdb serial protocol to send console messages
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to the debugger when the debugger is connected and running. There
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are two ways to activate this feature.
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<orderedlist>
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<listitem><para>Activate with the kernel command line option:</para>
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<para><constant>kgdbcon</constant></para>
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</listitem>
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<listitem><para>Use sysfs before configuring an io driver</para>
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<para>
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<constant>echo 1 > /sys/module/kgdb/parameters/kgdb_use_con</constant>
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</para>
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<para>
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NOTE: If you do this after you configure the kgdb I/O driver, the
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setting will not take effect until the next point the I/O is
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reconfigured.
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</para>
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</listitem>
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</orderedlist>
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</para>
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<para>
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IMPORTANT NOTE: Using this option with kgdb over the console
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(kgdboc) is not supported.
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</para>
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</sect1>
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</chapter>
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<chapter id="ConnectingGDB">
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<title>Connecting gdb</title>
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<para>
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If you are using kgdboc, you need to have used kgdbwait as a boot
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argument, issued a sysrq-g, or the system you are going to debug
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has already taken an exception and is waiting for the debugger to
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attach before you can connect gdb.
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</para>
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<para>
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If you are not using different kgdb I/O driver other than kgdboc,
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you should be able to connect and the target will automatically
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respond.
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</para>
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<para>
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Example (using a serial port):
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</para>
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<programlisting>
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% gdb ./vmlinux
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(gdb) set remotebaud 115200
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(gdb) target remote /dev/ttyS0
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</programlisting>
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<para>
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Example (kgdb to a terminal server on tcp port 2012):
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</para>
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<programlisting>
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% gdb ./vmlinux
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(gdb) target remote 192.168.2.2:2012
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</programlisting>
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<para>
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Once connected, you can debug a kernel the way you would debug an
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application program.
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</para>
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<para>
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If you are having problems connecting or something is going
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seriously wrong while debugging, it will most often be the case
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that you want to enable gdb to be verbose about its target
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communications. You do this prior to issuing the <constant>target
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remote</constant> command by typing in: <constant>set remote debug 1</constant>
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</para>
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</chapter>
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<chapter id="KGDBTestSuite">
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<title>kgdb Test Suite</title>
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<para>
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When kgdb is enabled in the kernel config you can also elect to
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enable the config parameter KGDB_TESTS. Turning this on will
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enable a special kgdb I/O module which is designed to test the
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kgdb internal functions.
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</para>
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<para>
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The kgdb tests are mainly intended for developers to test the kgdb
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internals as well as a tool for developing a new kgdb architecture
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specific implementation. These tests are not really for end users
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of the Linux kernel. The primary source of documentation would be
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to look in the drivers/misc/kgdbts.c file.
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</para>
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<para>
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The kgdb test suite can also be configured at compile time to run
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the core set of tests by setting the kernel config parameter
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KGDB_TESTS_ON_BOOT. This particular option is aimed at automated
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regression testing and does not require modifying the kernel boot
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config arguments. If this is turned on, the kgdb test suite can
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be disabled by specifying "kgdbts=" as a kernel boot argument.
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</para>
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</chapter>
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<chapter id="CommonBackEndReq">
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<title>KGDB Internals</title>
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<sect1 id="kgdbArchitecture">
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<title>Architecture Specifics</title>
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<para>
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Kgdb is organized into three basic components:
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<orderedlist>
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<listitem><para>kgdb core</para>
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<para>
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The kgdb core is found in kernel/kgdb.c. It contains:
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<itemizedlist>
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<listitem><para>All the logic to implement the gdb serial protocol</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>A generic OS exception handler which includes sync'ing the processors into a stopped state on an multi cpu system.</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>The API to talk to the kgdb I/O drivers</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>The API to make calls to the arch specific kgdb implementation</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>The logic to perform safe memory reads and writes to memory while using the debugger</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>A full implementation for software breakpoints unless overridden by the arch</para></listitem>
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</itemizedlist>
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</para>
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</listitem>
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<listitem><para>kgdb arch specific implementation</para>
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<para>
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This implementation is generally found in arch/*/kernel/kgdb.c.
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As an example, arch/x86/kernel/kgdb.c contains the specifics to
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implement HW breakpoint as well as the initialization to
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dynamically register and unregister for the trap handlers on
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this architecture. The arch specific portion implements:
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<itemizedlist>
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<listitem><para>contains an arch specific trap catcher which
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invokes kgdb_handle_exception() to start kgdb about doing its
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work</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>translation to and from gdb specific packet format to pt_regs</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>Registration and unregistration of architecture specific trap hooks</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>Any special exception handling and cleanup</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>NMI exception handling and cleanup</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>(optional)HW breakpoints</para></listitem>
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</itemizedlist>
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</para>
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</listitem>
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<listitem><para>kgdb I/O driver</para>
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<para>
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Each kgdb I/O driver has to provide an implemenation for the following:
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<itemizedlist>
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<listitem><para>configuration via builtin or module</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>dynamic configuration and kgdb hook registration calls</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>read and write character interface</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>A cleanup handler for unconfiguring from the kgdb core</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>(optional) Early debug methodology</para></listitem>
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</itemizedlist>
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Any given kgdb I/O driver has to operate very closely with the
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hardware and must do it in such a way that does not enable
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interrupts or change other parts of the system context without
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completely restoring them. The kgdb core will repeatedly "poll"
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a kgdb I/O driver for characters when it needs input. The I/O
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driver is expected to return immediately if there is no data
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available. Doing so allows for the future possibility to touch
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watch dog hardware in such a way as to have a target system not
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reset when these are enabled.
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</para>
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</listitem>
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</orderedlist>
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</para>
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<para>
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If you are intent on adding kgdb architecture specific support
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for a new architecture, the architecture should define
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<constant>HAVE_ARCH_KGDB</constant> in the architecture specific
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Kconfig file. This will enable kgdb for the architecture, and
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at that point you must create an architecture specific kgdb
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implementation.
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</para>
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<para>
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There are a few flags which must be set on every architecture in
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their <asm/kgdb.h> file. These are:
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<itemizedlist>
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<listitem>
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<para>
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NUMREGBYTES: The size in bytes of all of the registers, so
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that we can ensure they will all fit into a packet.
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</para>
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<para>
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BUFMAX: The size in bytes of the buffer GDB will read into.
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This must be larger than NUMREGBYTES.
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</para>
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<para>
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CACHE_FLUSH_IS_SAFE: Set to 1 if it is always safe to call
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flush_cache_range or flush_icache_range. On some architectures,
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these functions may not be safe to call on SMP since we keep other
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CPUs in a holding pattern.
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</para>
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</listitem>
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</itemizedlist>
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</para>
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<para>
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There are also the following functions for the common backend,
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found in kernel/kgdb.c, that must be supplied by the
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architecture-specific backend unless marked as (optional), in
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which case a default function maybe used if the architecture
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does not need to provide a specific implementation.
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</para>
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!Iinclude/linux/kgdb.h
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</sect1>
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<sect1 id="kgdbocDesign">
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<title>kgdboc internals</title>
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<para>
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The kgdboc driver is actually a very thin driver that relies on the
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underlying low level to the hardware driver having "polling hooks"
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which the to which the tty driver is attached. In the initial
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implementation of kgdboc it the serial_core was changed to expose a
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low level uart hook for doing polled mode reading and writing of a
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single character while in an atomic context. When kgdb makes an I/O
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request to the debugger, kgdboc invokes a call back in the serial
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core which in turn uses the call back in the uart driver. It is
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certainly possible to extend kgdboc to work with non-uart based
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consoles in the future.
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</para>
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<para>
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When using kgdboc with a uart, the uart driver must implement two callbacks in the <constant>struct uart_ops</constant>. Example from drivers/8250.c:<programlisting>
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#ifdef CONFIG_CONSOLE_POLL
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.poll_get_char = serial8250_get_poll_char,
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.poll_put_char = serial8250_put_poll_char,
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#endif
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</programlisting>
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Any implementation specifics around creating a polling driver use the
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<constant>#ifdef CONFIG_CONSOLE_POLL</constant>, as shown above.
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Keep in mind that polling hooks have to be implemented in such a way
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that they can be called from an atomic context and have to restore
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the state of the uart chip on return such that the system can return
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to normal when the debugger detaches. You need to be very careful
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with any kind of lock you consider, because failing here is most
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going to mean pressing the reset button.
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</para>
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</sect1>
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</chapter>
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|
<chapter id="credits">
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|
<title>Credits</title>
|
|
<para>
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|
The following people have contributed to this document:
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|
<orderedlist>
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|
<listitem><para>Amit Kale<email>amitkale@linsyssoft.com</email></para></listitem>
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|
<listitem><para>Tom Rini<email>trini@kernel.crashing.org</email></para></listitem>
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|
</orderedlist>
|
|
In March 2008 this document was completely rewritten by:
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|
<itemizedlist>
|
|
<listitem><para>Jason Wessel<email>jason.wessel@windriver.com</email></para></listitem>
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|
</itemizedlist>
|
|
</para>
|
|
</chapter>
|
|
</book>
|
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|