A/UX: Available Debugging Tools (9/94)


What tools are available under A/UX for debugging Macintosh OS applications, particularly, Macintosh OS applications developed using MPW?

The "sdb" and "adb" are two debugging tools currently available and supported by A/UX.

However, using "sdb" or "adb" to debug Macintosh applications on the console creates a problem; that is, once it is started, all input is grabbed by the toolbox interface, making it impossible to use the keyboard to communicate with "sdb" or "adb". A workaround to this was posted previously, and has been incorporated here for your convenience:

"There is a simple way to debug toolbox applications under A/UX. Log on from another terminal (connected over a serial line or network; that is, via 'telnet' or 'rlogin'), and start up the toolbox application with 'sdb'. The toolbox ALWAYS takes over the console (keyboard, screen, and mouse), so when started from 'sdb', it will run as expected. When you give an interrupt from the terminal you logged on with or for some other reason to get back, 'sdb' will be responding on the terminal you logged on with again.

"This is, in fact, a very useful feature: the console screen will not be disturbed by the debugging output."

You can get a third-party debugger called "CDB" for A/UX from Third Eye Software. This program was also available from APDA (Apple Programmers and Developers Association), but may not be any longer. It is an extremely powerful source-level debugger. Features include breakpoint, assertions, formatted structure dumps, full signal handling, command record and playback, alternate source directories, initialization files, statement- and instruction-level single-stepping, and more. For more information on "CDB" please contact Third Eye Software.


Article Change History:
21 Sep 1994 - Reviewed.
31 Aug 1992 - Reviewed.

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Published Date: Feb 18, 2012