problem with dbx (sigh!)

[Badri Lokanathan]

The problem is with dbx, BSD4.2 on a VAX 11/750.
I have the following defines, amongst many others, in a .h file:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
typedef struct fe_list {
	int edge;		/* Edge number.				*/
	char dir;		/* Direction of this edge.		*/
	struct fe_list *next;	/* pointer to the next record.		*/
	} FE_LIST;

typedef struct bb_node {
	int num;		/* Number of this BB node.		*/
	int parent;		/* Number of the parent node.		*/
	int l_bound;		/* Lower bound for areas in this node	*/
	int l_hdim,l_vdim;	/* Lower bounds on the dimensions	*/
	FE_LIST *fixed;		/* Pointer to a list of the additions	*/
				/* to the list of fixed edges.		*/
	FE_LIST *fresh;		/* Pointer to a list of edges that will	*/
				/* be fixed in the leftmost son of this	*/
				/* BB node.				*/
	FE_LIST *seed;		/* List of edges that are fixed but may	*/
				/* not be included in any cutting path.	*/
	} BB_NODE;
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In my program, I have the following statements:

BB_NODE *bb_aux;
bb_aux = (BB_NODE *) malloc((unsigned) sizeof (BB_NODE));

In dbx, if I go
print bb_aux I get
(size 0) bb_aux

Then (obviously, I suppose!) if I go
print *bb_aux I get
!! size(bad use) ??!! size(bad use) ??[bad use]

If I go
print BB_NODE * (bb_aux)
I get the message
dbx: internal error: reference through nil pointer at line 113 in file
languages.c
and then dbx exits.

Note that if I run a test segment with just the above definitions and
nothing else with a simple main segment, I can dbx it without any problems.
This leads me to believe that I am exceeding some internal table limit 
and dbx does not warn me about it. Does anybody recognize this problem
and have a fix or suggestions? ("Use sdb" is not acceptable since I have
tried it and run into other problems.)

I have also had mysterious messages during a variable trace of the kind
dbx: internal error: missing triad 3

Any fixes or suggestions for this?

Badri Lokanathan
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