Debugging Core Files Using HP WDB

Table of Contents
About This Document............................................................................................................................9
Intended Audience.................................................................................................................................9
Typographic Conventions......................................................................................................................9
Related Information..............................................................................................................................10
Introduction..........................................................................................................................................11
What Is a Core File?..............................................................................................................................11
Causes for a Core Dump.......................................................................................................................11
Common Signals That Cause Core Dumps..........................................................................................11
Using WDB to Debug Core Files..........................................................................................................13
Support for Invoking GDB Before a Program Aborts.....................................................................14
System Requirements for Core File Debugging..............................................................................14
Commands For Core File Debugging...................................................................................................15
Invoking WDB to Debug Core Files................................................................................................15
Setting the Path for the Relevant Shared Libraries..........................................................................15
Common Commands for Core File Debugging..............................................................................16
What is a Symbol Table?.......................................................................................................................20
What is a Stripped Binary?...................................................................................................................20
Debugging Core Files Created by Stripped Binaries (When the Symbol Table is Available).........20
Debugging Core Files Created by Optimized or Stripped Binaries.....................................................21
Limitations for Debugging Core Files Created by Optimized Binaries..........................................21
Limitations for Debugging Core Files Created by Binaries Compiled Without the -g Option.....21
Limitations for Debugging Core Files Created by Stripped Binaries.............................................21
Forcing a Core Dump............................................................................................................................26
Saving the Core File to a Specific File Name...................................................................................26
Debugging a Core File Created by a Forced Core Dump...............................................................26
Debugging Core Files From a Different System...................................................................................28
Debugging PA-RISC Core Files on Integrity Systems..........................................................................29
Avoiding Core File Corruption.............................................................................................................30
Avoiding Core File Corruption for Applications Running HP-UX 11i v1 and HP-UX 11i v2........30
Avoiding Core File Corruption for Applications Running HP-UX 11i v3......................................31
Summary...............................................................................................................................................31
Examples Illustrating Core File Debugging.........................................................................................32
FAQ.......................................................................................................................................................47
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