Re: Need help with a backtrace

[Michael Elizabeth Chastain <chastain at cygnus dot com>]

Hi Matt,

> In general, when a backtrace gives a really meager output 
> like the following:
> 
> ...
> 
> and that's all the lines it output, am I supposed to
> put breakpoints into my convert program to see when
> it makes a call to a libc function?

That depends on what your goal is.

If your goal is to debug your gnome app and send useful reports to
the gnome people -- then you put breakpoints in your convert program.

You could also build your program with "-static", which brings in a
static copy of all the library functions that you use.  That will make
gdb behave a lot better.

If your goal is to help improve gdb -- then you write up a detailed
bug report:

  the whole source code of a program that demonstrates the bug
  the exact command line you used to build
  "gcc --version" (or the equivalent with the compiler you use)
  "ldd a.out" on your executable (or the Unixware equivalent)
  ls -l on each shared library used
  "gdb --version"
  a typescript showing your whole gdb session

Writing a detailed gdb bug report is a task in its own right.

Then you post the bug report, and see if someone will work on it.
If no one responds in a couple of days, you can check the MAINTAINERS
file and e-mail the SCO/Unixware maintainers and ask them the status of
your bug report.

Michael Elizabeth Chastain
<chastain@redhat.com>
"love without fear"