File: gawk.info,  Node: Debugger Invocation,  Next: Finding The Bug,  Up: Sample Debugging Session

14.2.1 How to Start the Debugger
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Starting the debugger is almost exactly like running 'gawk' normally,
except you have to pass an additional option, '--debug', or the
corresponding short option, '-D'.  The file(s) containing the program
and any supporting code are given on the command line as arguments to
one or more '-f' options.  ('gawk' is not designed to debug command-line
programs, only programs contained in files.)  In our case, we invoke the
debugger like this:

     $ gawk -D -f getopt.awk -f join.awk -f uniq.awk -1 inputfile

where both 'getopt.awk' and 'uniq.awk' are in '$AWKPATH'.  (Experienced
users of GDB or similar debuggers should note that this syntax is
slightly different from what you are used to.  With the 'gawk' debugger,
you give the arguments for running the program in the command line to
the debugger rather than as part of the 'run' command at the debugger
prompt.)  The '-1' is an option to 'uniq.awk'.

   Instead of immediately running the program on 'inputfile', as 'gawk'
would ordinarily do, the debugger merely loads all the program source
files, compiles them internally, and then gives us a prompt:

     gawk>

from which we can issue commands to the debugger.  At this point, no
code has been executed.