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Re: java/1413: gdb loses java type information
- From: Andrew Cagney <ac131313 at redhat dot com>
- To: nobody at sources dot redhat dot com
- Cc: gdb-prs at sources dot redhat dot com,
- Date: 9 Oct 2003 14:58:01 -0000
- Subject: Re: java/1413: gdb loses java type information
- Reply-to: Andrew Cagney <ac131313 at redhat dot com>
The following reply was made to PR java/1413; it has been noted by GNATS.
From: Andrew Cagney <ac131313@redhat.com>
To: gdb-gnats@sources.redhat.com
Cc:
Subject: Re: java/1413: gdb loses java type information
Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2003 10:50:42 -0400
Two issues:
1. Must GDB pass the "cut paste" test?
For the function.
public static Object doit(Object x)
{
Object y = x;
return y;
}
if either of the expressions:
y[1]
((String[])y)[1]
were legal java (I suspect they aren't :-), then GDB must let the user
cut/paste them from their program into GDB and have GDB correctly
evaluate them.
I don't think that's the problem here.
2. Must GDB obey language rules?
For the function:
public static Object doit(Object x)
{
Object y = x;
return y;
}
must GDB follow language rules when evaluating expressions.
This, I think, is Tom's concern and the answer is no, GDB does not need
to obey language rules.
The user should expect a debugger, such as GDB, to provide ways of
getting under the hood (bonnet in some countries) and examine/manipulate
the underlying data. To that end, if GDB can determine an objects
underlying type, I see no reason for not allowing the operations that
apply to that type.
Andrew