Request recommendation on debugging 'tutorials', dbx, adb etc.

Ron Schweikert ron at nbife.NBI.COM
Thu May 25 00:55:08 AEST 1989


I've been reading some of the postings on what to do with core files etc. and
I have a request.  When a program dumps core, I usually do simple printf
and dbx commands to find out where something failed.  This works fairly well
since they are usually my programs.  Being familiar with what I'm trying to
accomplish obviously aids the debugging process -- I know what to look for.  

My problem, as I now start to delve into changing, updating, fixing programs
written by others, a more robust knowledge of using the debugging tools
available would be a great aid.  Unfortunately, our manuals have such simple
examples that I haven't been able to move past basic dbx commands that help
me narrow the problem down.  Now after much rambling :-) -- are there any
books (Nutshell etc.) that people have used that deal perhaps more with the
'philosophy' or 'trade secrets' of debugging someone else's programs (or my
own for that matter).  Currently what I do with a core file is rm it!  

Insights from programmer's that have lots of experience in a larger programming
environment that could point me in the right direction would be appreciated.

If you email your tips, suggestions etc., I'll be glad to summarize and post.

Surely I'm not the only person who uses printf's and lots of coffee to fix
broken programs!! :-) :-)

Thanks in advance...

Ron Schweikert



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