[gobo-eiffel-develop] GEC debugger requirements

[Paul C. <pac...@gm...>]

Hi all,

I am not an expert in writing compilers or debuggers but I would like
to propose a list of requirements for the GEC debugger.

I have rated the requirements with a two graded priority scale
indicated by the presence of a '*'. Any requirement marked with a '*'
I consider lower priority. Of course, eventually I would like all
requirements to be implemented! ;-)

1. Assumptions
------------------------

1.1 GEC can be run with some debug flag enabling the compiled program
to be run by the GEC debugger,
1.2 The GEC debugger has a nice name or acronym like "gedb" so that I
don't have to write "GEC debugger" all the time!

2. General requirements
--------------------------------------

2,1 Command line debugger in gdb style.
2.2 Default execution mode is interactive.
2.3 Switch for telling which executable to load.
2.4* Switch for running in batch mode. When running in batch mode a
file (or stdin) containing debugger commands is read and the debugger
executes the
commands in straight sequence as if they had been manually entered in
interactive mode.

3. Debugger commands
-------------------------------------

Commands are run by entering them on the gedb prompt. Commands that
take arguments have the arguments enclosed in brackets '['  and ']'.
Commands should have abbreviated short forms like 'r' for run etc.

3.1 Help. Print info on available commands.
3.2 Run.
3.3 Single step to next execution point.
3.4 Step over to next execution point in current feature.
3.5 Step out of current feature.
3.6 Show info on loaded executable (compile time, compile flags etc.).
3.7 Show stack.
3.8 Show Eiffel text [lines] of n lines surrounding current execution point.
3.9 Show locals.
3.10 Show object [id] (current object if id not given).
3.11 Quit.
3.12 Set breakpoint [class.feature name and line no]. If no
class.feature name and line no is given, set breakpoint at current
execution point.
3.13 Show breakpoints (together with unique breakpoint id:s).
3.14 Delete breakpoint [breakpoint id].
3.15 Save breakpoints to file.
3.16 Load breakpoints from file.
3.17 Terminate execution.
3.18* Stop execution. Not a proper command, but some way to generate
an interrupt and stop the current execution (at some execution point
after which one can continue step debugging the program).
3.19* Edit local entity [name and value].
3.20* Edit object [id] [attribute/once name, value]. (current object if no id)
3.21* Set conditional breakpoint [class.feature name and line no]. If
no class.feature name and line no is given, set breakpoint at current
execution point. A new prompt is displayed where the condition can be
expressed.
3.22* Show object info [type/class]. Show number of objects of a given
type (or class) together with other interesting info. If no type/class
is given show summary stats for all objects in executed system.
3.23* Show GC info. Show number of objects that have been garbage
collected and other exciting GC info.

/Paul