VAX DEBUG: An interactive, symbolic, multilingual debugger

ABSTRACT

Digital Equipment Corporation's VAX-11 Debugger, usually called VAX DEBUG or simply DEBUG, is an interactive, symbolic, and multilingual debugger which runs on the VAX-11 series of computers under the VMS operating system. The following gives an overview of VAX DEBUG and examines how it solves some of the problems inherent in the design of any such debugger. Particular attention is paid to how its command language is designed, how it distinguishes between addresses and values in command input, how it solves the problem of accessing and organizing symbol table information, and how it exercises control over the user program.

REFERENCES

• 1: _____, VAX Architecture Handbook, Digital Equipment Corporation, 1981.
• 2: _____, VAX-11 Symbolic Debugger Reference Manual, AA-DO26D-TE, Digital Equipment Corporation, 1982.
• 3: Johnson, Mark Scott, "DISPEL: A Run-Time Debugging Language", Computer Languages, Vol 6, pp 79-94, 1981.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
      D.2.5 Testing and Debugging
          Subjects: Debugging aids

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.4 OPERATING SYSTEMS
      D.4.9 Systems Programs and Utilities
          Subjects: Command and control languages

General Terms:
Design, Languages, Performance, Verification