How to debug ARSperl

Steps

1. Configure perl

   When perl's Configure script prompts you :
   What optimizer/debugger flag should be used?
   you should specify -g instead of the default -O.
   It is also usually a good idea to use perl's built in malloc. The will prevent ARSperl from crashing due to malloc/free bugs.

2. Install perl/Install ARSperl

   If you're perl install went correctly, ARSperl should automatically get compiled with the -g switch.

3. Try it out
   

   I use gdb (the gnu debugger) for debugging, but others (like dbx) will probably work. Debugging ARS involves switching between gdb and the perl debugger. When I'm in the perl debugger, I use control-c to send a SIGINT and return to gdb. The function names for ARSperl calls will be a little wierd. You can look in ARS.c to see what they are. Make sure you keep ARS.c in place so the debugger can find it!

   Here is an example debugging session:

   152 cnu(11:13:13)~/ARSperl/ARSperl/example> gdb /usr/local/bin/perl
   GDB is free software and you are welcome to distribute copies of it
    under certain conditions; type "show copying" to see the conditions.
   There is absolutely no warranty for GDB; type "show warranty" for details.
   GDB 4.16 (sparc-sun-solaris2.3),
   Copyright 1996 Free Software Foundation, Inc...
   (gdb) set args -d GetField.pl remedyserver jmurphy mypass User 1
   (gdb) run
   Starting program: /usr/local/bin/perl -d GetField.pl remedyserver jmurphy mypass User 1
   Stack dump during die enabled outside of evals.
   
   Loading DB routines from perl5db.pl patch level 0.94
   Emacs support available.
   
   Enter h or `h h' for help.
   
   main::(GetField.pl:31): ($server, $username, $password, $schema, $fieldname) = @ARGV;
     DB<1> n
   main::(GetField.pl:32): if(!defined($password)) {
     DB<1> n
   main::(GetField.pl:39): print "Logging in ..\n";
     DB<1> n
   Logging in ..
   main::(GetField.pl:41): ($ctrl = ars_Login($server, $username, $password)) ||
   main::(GetField.pl:42):     die "can't login to the server";
     DB<1> ^C
   Program received signal SIGINT, Interrupt.
   0xef638848 in _read ()
   (gdb) break XS_ARS_ars_Login
   Breakpoint 1 at 0xef4f90a8: file ARS.c, line 1801.
   (gdb) c
   Continuing.
   1
   
     DB<1> c
   
   Breakpoint 1, XS_ARS_ars_Login (cv=0x11e820) at ARS.c:1801
   (gdb) list
   1794            }
   1795        }
   1796        XSRETURN(1);
   1797    }
   1798
   1799    XS(XS_ARS_ars_Login)
   1800    {
   1801        dXSARGS;
   1802        if (items != 3)
   1803            croak("Usage: ARS::ars_Login(server,username,password)");
   (gdb)