[PATCH] Always print call-clobbered registers in outer frames. (was: Re: [PATCH+DOC] Print registers not saved in the frame as "<not saved>", instead of "<optimized out>".)

[Pedro Alves <palves at redhat dot com>]

On 09/19/2013 05:58 PM, Pedro Alves wrote:

> Now, GDB itself could just assume that call-clobbered registers
> are always <not saved> in frames other than the innermost, but
> that'll be not very user friendly, I think.
> 
> Perhaps... we should completely toss out this patch, and go
> the other way around.  When printing registers of an outer
> frame, ignore DW_CFA_undefined, and read the registers
> from the inner frame anyway...  IOW, define the values of
> call-clobbered registers in outer frames as "the values the
> registers would have if the inner frame returned _now_".
> Mark, what do you think?
> (I didn't try implementing that, but I think that'll just
> mean ignoring the optimized_out flag when dumping registers
> (but not when printing variables marked as living in "optimized
> out" registers).
> 

Like this...

--------------
Subject: [PATCH] Always print call-clobbered registers in outer frames.

With older GCCs, when some variable lived on a call-clobbered register
just before a call, GCC would mark such register as undefined across
the function call, with DW_CFA_undefined.  This is interpreted by the
debugger as meaning the variable is optimized out at that point.  That
is, if the user does "up", and tries to print the variable.

Newer GCCs stopped doing that.  They now just don't emit a location
for the variable, resulting in GDB printing "<optimized out>" all the
same.  (See <https://sourceware.org/ml/gdb-patches/2012-08/msg00787.html>.)

The difference is that with binaries produced by those older GCCs, GDB
will also print the registers themselves (info registers / p $reg) as
"<optimized out>".  This is confusing.  See with the gdb.dwarf/dw2-op-out-param.exp
test:

Breakpoint 2, 0x000000000040058f in breakpt ()
(gdb) up
#1  0x00000000004005a2 in int_param_single_reg_loc (operand0=<optimized out>, operand1=-2401054115373400575, operand2=<optimized out>)
(gdb) info registers
rax            0x323d7b35b0     215779849648
rbx            0xdeadbe00deadbe01       -2401054115373400575
rcx            <optimized out>
rdx            0xdeadbe04deadbe05       -2401054098193531387
rsi            <optimized out>
rdi            <optimized out>
rbp            0x0      0x0
rsp            0x7fffffffda20   0x7fffffffda20
r8             0x323d7b1f40     215779843904
r9             0x323d00f310     215771837200
r10            0x7fffffffd890   140737488345232
r11            0x323d421640     215776106048
r12            0x400430 4195376
r13            0x7fffffffdb10   140737488345872
r14            0x0      0
r15            0x0      0
rip            0x4005a2 0x4005a2 <int_param_single_reg_loc+10>
eflags         0x202    [ IF ]
cs             0x33     51
ss             0x2b     43
ds             0x0      0
es             0x0      0
fs             0x0      0
gs             0x0      0

This patch makes GDB always follow this rule (which is what the
heuristic unwinders usually do by default):

 The values of call-clobbered registers in the outer frame, if not
 saved by the caller, are defined as being the values the registers
 would have if the inner frame was to return immediately.

The documentation is updated to more clearly explain this.

IOW, ignore DW_CFA_undefined _when printing frame registers_, but
not when printing variables.  This translates to, if value of a frame
register, comes out as optimized out (that's what "not saved"
lval_register values end up as), fetch it from the next frame.

After the patch, we get:

#0  0x000000000040058f in breakpt ()
(gdb) info registers
rax            0x323d7b35b0     215779849648
rbx            0xdeadbe00deadbe01       -2401054115373400575
rcx            0xdeadbe02deadbe03       -2401054106783465981
rdx            0xdeadbe04deadbe05       -2401054098193531387
rsi            0xdeadbe06deadbe07       -2401054089603596793
rdi            0xdeadbe08deadbe09       -2401054081013662199
rbp            0x0      0x0
rsp            0x7fffffffda18   0x7fffffffda18
r8             0x323d7b1f40     215779843904
r9             0x323d00f310     215771837200
r10            0x7fffffffd890   140737488345232
r11            0x323d421640     215776106048
r12            0x400430 4195376
r13            0x7fffffffdb10   140737488345872
r14            0x0      0
r15            0x0      0
rip            0x40058f 0x40058f <breakpt>
eflags         0x202    [ IF ]
cs             0x33     51
ss             0x2b     43
ds             0x0      0
es             0x0      0
fs             0x0      0
gs             0x0      0
(gdb) up
#1  0x00000000004005a2 in int_param_single_reg_loc (operand0=<optimized out>, operand1=-2401054115373400575, operand2=<optimized out>)
(gdb) info registers
rax            0x323d7b35b0     215779849648
rbx            0xdeadbe00deadbe01       -2401054115373400575
rcx            0xdeadbe02deadbe03       -2401054106783465981
rdx            0xdeadbe04deadbe05       -2401054098193531387
rsi            0xdeadbe06deadbe07       -2401054089603596793
rdi            0xdeadbe08deadbe09       -2401054081013662199
rbp            0x0      0x0
rsp            0x7fffffffda20   0x7fffffffda20
r8             0x323d7b1f40     215779843904
r9             0x323d00f310     215771837200
r10            0x7fffffffd890   140737488345232
r11            0x323d421640     215776106048
r12            0x400430 4195376
r13            0x7fffffffdb10   140737488345872
r14            0x0      0
r15            0x0      0
rip            0x4005a2 0x4005a2 <int_param_single_reg_loc+10>
eflags         0x202    [ IF ]
cs             0x33     51
ss             0x2b     43
ds             0x0      0
es             0x0      0
fs             0x0      0
gs             0x0      0
(gdb)

Which is what you'd get with a newer GCC.  And, it's exactly what you
get today if your force a return from frame #1, even with such an old
binary, and _unpatched_ GDB:

(gdb) return
Make breakpt return now? (y or n) y
#0  0x00000000004005a2 in int_param_single_reg_loc (operand0=-2401054106783465981, operand1=-2401054115373400575,
    operand2=-2401054089603596793)
(gdb) info registers
rax            0x323d7b35b0     215779849648
rbx            0xdeadbe00deadbe01       -2401054115373400575
rcx            0xdeadbe02deadbe03       -2401054106783465981
rdx            0xdeadbe04deadbe05       -2401054098193531387
rsi            0xdeadbe06deadbe07       -2401054089603596793
rdi            0xdeadbe08deadbe09       -2401054081013662199
rbp            0x0      0x0
rsp            0x7fffffffda20   0x7fffffffda20
r8             0x323d7b1f40     215779843904
r9             0x323d00f310     215771837200
r10            0x7fffffffd890   140737488345232
r11            0x323d421640     215776106048
r12            0x400430 4195376
r13            0x7fffffffdb10   140737488345872
r14            0x0      0
r15            0x0      0
rip            0x4005a2 0x4005a2 <int_param_single_reg_loc+10>
eflags         0x202    [ IF ]
cs             0x33     51
ss             0x2b     43
ds             0x0      0
es             0x0      0
fs             0x0      0
gs             0x0      0
(gdb)

This is rule is applied in value_of_register.  This is the function
eval.c uses for evaluating OP_REGISTER (again, $reg, $pc, etc.), and
related bits.  It isn't used for anything else.  The patch makes "info
registers" and the MI equivalent use it too.  I think it just makes a
lot of sense, as this makes it so that when printing machine registers
($pc, etc.), we go through a central function.

Note how gdb.mi/mi-reg-undefined.exp and
gdb.dwarf2/dw2-reg-undefined.exp tests needed adjustment, but not
gdb.dwarf2/dw2-op-out-param.exp, as that prints an optimized out
variable, not register.

Tested on x86_64 Fedora 17

gdb/
2013-09-18  Pedro Alves  <palves@redhat.com>

	* findvar.c (value_of_register): Rename to ...
	(value_of_register_helper): ... this.
	(value_of_register): Reimplement.
	* infcmd.c (default_print_one_register_info): Use
	value_of_register instead of get_frame_register_value.
	* mi/mi-main.c (output_register): Use value_of_register instead of
	get_frame_register_value.

gdb/testsuite/
2013-09-18  Pedro Alves  <palves@redhat.com>

	* gdb.dwarf2/dw2-reg-undefined.exp: Expect hex numbers instead of
	"<optimized out>" for all frames.
	* gdb.mi/mi-reg-undefined.exp (opt_out_pattern): Delete.
	(top level): Expect hex numbers instead of "<optimized out>" for
	all frames.

gdb/doc/
2013-09-18  Pedro Alves  <palves@redhat.com>

	* gdb.texinfo (Registers): Expand explanation of not-saved
	call-clobbered registers in frames other than the innermost.
---
 gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo                            | 20 ++++++++++++----
 gdb/findvar.c                                  | 32 ++++++++++++++++++++++----
 gdb/infcmd.c                                   |  2 +-
 gdb/mi/mi-main.c                               |  2 +-
 gdb/testsuite/gdb.dwarf2/dw2-reg-undefined.exp | 17 +++++---------
 gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/mi-reg-undefined.exp      | 14 ++++-------
 6 files changed, 55 insertions(+), 32 deletions(-)

diff --git a/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo b/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo
index 60d2877..23227af 100644
--- a/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo
+++ b/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo
@@ -10031,10 +10031,22 @@ were exited and their saved registers restored.  In order to see the
 true contents of hardware registers, you must select the innermost
 frame (with @samp{frame 0}).
 
-However, @value{GDBN} must deduce where registers are saved, from the machine
-code generated by your compiler.  If some registers are not saved, or if
-@value{GDBN} is unable to locate the saved registers, the selected stack
-frame makes no difference.
+Most ABIs reserve some registers as ``scratch'' registers that don't
+need to be saved by the caller (a.k.a. caller-saved or call-clobbered
+registers).  It may therefore not be possible for @value{GDBN} to know
+the value a register had before the call (in other words, in the outer
+frame), if the register value has since been changed by the callee.
+@value{GDBN} tries to deduce where registers are saved, from the debug
+info, unwind info, or the machine code generated by your compiler.  If
+some register is not saved, or if @value{GDBN} is unable to locate the
+saved register, @value{GDBN} will assume the register in the outer
+frame had the same location and value it has in the inner frame.  In
+other words, the values of call-clobbered registers in the outer
+frame, if not saved by the caller, are defined as being the values the
+registers would have if the inner frame was to return immediately.
+This is usually harmless, but note however that if you change a
+register in the outer frame, you may also be affecting the inner
+frame.
 
 @node Floating Point Hardware
 @section Floating Point Hardware
diff --git a/gdb/findvar.c b/gdb/findvar.c
index 25242be..5cbbc83 100644
--- a/gdb/findvar.c
+++ b/gdb/findvar.c
@@ -254,12 +254,11 @@ store_typed_address (gdb_byte *buf, struct type *type, CORE_ADDR addr)
 
 
 
-/* Return a `value' with the contents of (virtual or cooked) register
-   REGNUM as found in the specified FRAME.  The register's type is
-   determined by register_type().  */
+/* Helper for value_of_register; see value_of_register for description
+   of parameters/return.  */
 
-struct value *
-value_of_register (int regnum, struct frame_info *frame)
+static struct value *
+value_of_register_helper (int regnum, struct frame_info *frame)
 {
   struct gdbarch *gdbarch = get_frame_arch (frame);
   struct value *reg_val;
@@ -277,6 +276,29 @@ value_of_register (int regnum, struct frame_info *frame)
 
 /* Return a `value' with the contents of (virtual or cooked) register
    REGNUM as found in the specified FRAME.  The register's type is
+   determined by register_type().  */
+
+struct value *
+value_of_register (int regnum, struct frame_info *frame)
+{
+  while (1)
+    {
+      struct value *reg_val = value_of_register_helper (regnum, frame);
+
+      if (!value_optimized_out (reg_val))
+	return reg_val;
+      /* If a register has been marked as "optimized out"/"not saved"
+	 in the unwind/debug info for this frame, fetch it from the
+	 next/inner frame.  The innermost frame fetches registers from
+	 the regcache, so should never return an optimized out
+	 register.  */
+      gdb_assert (frame_relative_level (frame) > 0);
+      frame = get_next_frame (frame);
+    }
+}
+
+/* Return a `value' with the contents of (virtual or cooked) register
+   REGNUM as found in the specified FRAME.  The register's type is
    determined by register_type().  The value is not fetched.  */
 
 struct value *
diff --git a/gdb/infcmd.c b/gdb/infcmd.c
index e29dcde..e9cd255 100644
--- a/gdb/infcmd.c
+++ b/gdb/infcmd.c
@@ -2142,7 +2142,7 @@ default_print_registers_info (struct gdbarch *gdbarch,
 
       default_print_one_register_info (file,
 				       gdbarch_register_name (gdbarch, i),
-				       get_frame_register_value (frame, i));
+				       value_of_register (i, frame));
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/gdb/mi/mi-main.c b/gdb/mi/mi-main.c
index e8c4744..5cde1ae 100644
--- a/gdb/mi/mi-main.c
+++ b/gdb/mi/mi-main.c
@@ -1161,7 +1161,7 @@ output_register (struct frame_info *frame, int regnum, int format,
 {
   struct gdbarch *gdbarch = get_frame_arch (frame);
   struct ui_out *uiout = current_uiout;
-  struct value *val = get_frame_register_value (frame, regnum);
+  struct value *val = value_of_register (regnum, frame);
   struct cleanup *tuple_cleanup;
   struct value_print_options opts;
   struct ui_file *stb;
diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.dwarf2/dw2-reg-undefined.exp b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.dwarf2/dw2-reg-undefined.exp
index 4686648..58b50d5 100644
--- a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.dwarf2/dw2-reg-undefined.exp
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.dwarf2/dw2-reg-undefined.exp
@@ -39,17 +39,12 @@ gdb_test "bt" "#0  (0x\[0-9a-f\]+ in )?stop_frame \[^\r\n\]*\r\n#1  \[^\r\n\]*fi
     "backtrace from stop_frame"
 
 for {set f 0} {$f < 3} {incr f} {
-    if {${f} == 0} {
-	set pattern_rax_rbx_rcx_print "$hex"
-	set pattern_rax_rbx_rcx_info "$hex\\s+$decimal"
-	set pattern_r8_r9_print "$hex"
-	set pattern_r8_r9_info "$hex\\s+$decimal"
-    } else {
-	set pattern_rax_rbx_rcx_print "<optimized out>"
-	set pattern_rax_rbx_rcx_info "<optimized out>"
-	set pattern_r8_r9_print "$hex"
-	set pattern_r8_r9_info "$hex\\s+$decimal"
-    }
+    # Even though registers 0->6 are marked as being undefined in
+    # frames > 0, GDB should retrieve their values from inner frames.
+    set pattern_rax_rbx_rcx_print "$hex"
+    set pattern_rax_rbx_rcx_info "$hex\\s+$decimal"
+    set pattern_r8_r9_print "$hex"
+    set pattern_r8_r9_info "$hex\\s+$decimal"
 
     # Select frame.
     gdb_test "frame ${f}" "#${f}.*" "Switch to frame ${f}"
diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/mi-reg-undefined.exp b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/mi-reg-undefined.exp
index 8bcbb21..d0f275c 100644
--- a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/mi-reg-undefined.exp
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.mi/mi-reg-undefined.exp
@@ -52,20 +52,14 @@ mi_gdb_test "111-stack-list-frames" \
     "111\\^done,stack=\\\[frame=\{level=\"0\",addr=\"$hex\",func=\"stop_frame\",.*\},frame=\{level=\"1\",addr=\"$hex\",func=\"first_frame\",.*\},frame=\{level=\"2\",addr=\"$hex\",func=\"main\",.*\}\\\]" \
     "stack frame listing"
 
-set opt_out_pattern "<optimized out>"
-
 for {set f 0} {$f < 3} {incr f} {
-    if {${f} == 0} {
-	set pattern_0_1_2 ${hex}
-    } else {
-	set pattern_0_1_2 ${opt_out_pattern}
-    }
-
+    # Even though registers 0->6 are marked as being undefined in
+    # frames > 0, GDB should retrieve their values from inner frames.
     mi_gdb_test "22${f}-data-list-register-values --thread 1 --frame ${f} x  0 1 2 8 9" \
-	"22${f}\\^done,register-values=\\\[\{number=\"0\",value=\"${pattern_0_1_2}\"\},\{number=\"1\",value=\"${pattern_0_1_2}\"\},\{number=\"2\",value=\"${pattern_0_1_2}\"\},\{number=\"8\",value=\"$hex\"\},\{number=\"9\",value=\"$hex\"\}\\\]" \
+	"22${f}\\^done,register-values=\\\[\{number=\"0\",value=\"${hex}\"\},\{number=\"1\",value=\"${hex}\"\},\{number=\"2\",value=\"${hex}\"\},\{number=\"8\",value=\"$hex\"\},\{number=\"9\",value=\"$hex\"\}\\\]" \
 	"register values, format x, frame ${f}"
 
     mi_gdb_test "33${f}-data-list-register-values --thread 1 --frame ${f} r 0 1 2 8 9" \
-	"33${f}\\^done,register-values=\\\[\{number=\"0\",value=\"${pattern_0_1_2}\"\},\{number=\"1\",value=\"${pattern_0_1_2}\"\},\{number=\"2\",value=\"${pattern_0_1_2}\"\},\{number=\"8\",value=\"$hex\"\},\{number=\"9\",value=\"$hex\"\}\\\]" \
+	"33${f}\\^done,register-values=\\\[\{number=\"0\",value=\"${hex}\"\},\{number=\"1\",value=\"${hex}\"\},\{number=\"2\",value=\"${hex}\"\},\{number=\"8\",value=\"$hex\"\},\{number=\"9\",value=\"$hex\"\}\\\]" \
 	"register values, format r, frame ${f}"
 }
-- 
1.7.11.7