I want to run GDB on my ARM embedded board... I have referred online that we can set up GDB server and can do remote debugging but still i am missing proper steps to set up whole environment for GDB Debugging..
Can anyone please provide me a proper guidance from cross compiling GDB to running my gdb for debugging on embedded board ??
I appreciate any inputs
Have you already looked at Buildroot? It will take care of cross-compiler and root file system. You can choose to compile host and target gdb/gdbserver, so that you'll have everything from one hand. See BR's documentation.
I assume you have a toolchain that lets you build applications for your embedded linux platform. This should include gdb (named something like arm-linux-gdb).
Next check if linux for your board already includes gdb/gdbserver. If it does, you don't have to build anything. If it does not, configure gdb like this:
./path/to/gdb/source/configure --host=arm-linux --target=arm-linux --prefix=/path/to/installation/directory
Then make and make install. Note that --host and --target will probably match your toolchains prefix.
As part of this installation you will get gdbserver. Install it on your board.
Then use it, as explained here. It depends on your connection type (TCP, serial), but you need to run program under gdbserver on board (gdbserver binary), then run you toolchain's gdb on PC and connect to board using "target remote" command.
Remote debugging of embedded systems: GDB, as a server, must be compiled into the debugging target build in order to support connected GDB clients. When running on the client side, there must exist a copy of the target source as well as an unstripped (of symbols) version of the executable.
GCC compilation should be done with the -g flag.
On the target/server side, run with
gdbserver <port> --attach <pid>
or
gdbserver host:<port> <program>
On the client side, run gdb and then
(gdb) target remote IP:PORT
What gdb client to run? Must be built with the right target processor in mind, for example
.../toolchain/bin/powerpc-linux-gdb core/mydaemon/src/mydaemon -x gdb-command-script
-x is a filename option
Hope this helps!
