32.6.5.5 Other Buffers

Input/Output Buffer

If the variable gdb-use-separate-io-buffer is non-nil, the program being debugged takes its input and displays its output here. Otherwise it uses the GUD buffer for that. To toggle whether GUD mode uses this buffer, do M-x gdb-use-separate-io-buffer. This takes effect when you next restart the program you are debugging.

The history and replay commands from Shell mode are available here, as are the commands to send signals to the debugged program. See section Shell Mode.

Locals Buffer

The locals buffer displays the values of local variables of the current frame for simple data types (see Frame Info: (gdb)Frame Info section `Information on a frame' in The GNU debugger). Press <RET> or click Mouse-2 on the value if you want to edit it.

Arrays and structures display their type only. With GDB 6.4 or later, move point to their name and press <RET>, or alternatively click Mouse-2 there, to examine their values. With earlier versions of GDB, use Mouse-2 or <RET> on the type description (‘[struct/union]’ or ‘[array]’). See section Watch Expressions.

Registers Buffer

The registers buffer displays the values held by the registers (see (gdb)Registers section `Registers' in The GNU debugger). Press <RET> or click Mouse-2 on a register if you want to edit its value. With GDB 6.4 or later, recently changed register values display with font-lock-warning-face. With earlier versions of GDB, you can press <SPC> to toggle the display of floating point registers (toggle-gdb-all-registers).

Assembler Buffer

The assembler buffer displays the current frame as machine code. An arrow points to the current instruction, and you can set and remove breakpoints as in a source buffer. Breakpoint icons also appear in the fringe or margin.

Threads Buffer

The threads buffer displays a summary of all threads currently in your program (see Threads: (gdb)Threads section `Debugging programs with multiple threads' in The GNU debugger). Move point to any thread in the list and press <RET> to select it (gdb-threads-select) and display the associated source in the primary source buffer. Alternatively, click Mouse-2 on a thread to select it. If the locals buffer is visible, its contents update to display the variables that are local in the new thread.

Memory Buffer

The memory buffer lets you examine sections of program memory (see Memory: (gdb)Memory section `Examining memory' in The GNU debugger). Click Mouse-1 on the appropriate part of the header line to change the starting address or number of data items that the buffer displays. Click Mouse-3 on the header line to select the display format or unit size for these data items.