Integrate gdbserver support in Linaro

Registered by Steve Langasek

gdbserver is available in the Ubuntu repository, but not actively tested or used in Ubuntu or Linaro. We want to integrate this into Linaro:
 - identify Linaro images which should include gdbserver by default
 - verify cross-architecture remote debugging functionality with Ubuntu packages
 - make recommendations for ease of installation of cross-architecture debug symbols packages on the host system
 - provide a wiki guide with recommendations for setting up and running gdbserver

Blueprint information

Status:
Not started
Approver:
Steve Langasek
Priority:
Medium
Drafter:
Dave Martin
Direction:
Needs approval
Assignee:
Tom Gall
Definition:
Approved
Series goal:
Accepted for natty
Implementation:
Deferred
Milestone target:
milestone icon ubuntu-11.04-beta-1

Related branches

Sprints

Whiteboard

Status:
[tom-gall 16 Mar 11] : Blocked by bug 736354, add uwigand for gdb/toolchain team items that were originally identified in the specification

Work items:
add the gdbserver package to all linaro seeds: DONE
investigate how apport determines the list of ddebs to download: POSTPONED
define an appropriate per-user cache layout that can be shared by gdb and perftools, preferably using GNU build-id in the heirarchy so that it can be shared between multiple versions of the same package: POSTPONED
implement a mechanism to facilitate fetching and installing of ddebs to match the target images when cross-debugging: POSTPONED
check the present gdbserver protocol support for verifying that the target architecture, protocol version and the debugged binary (or binaries) are correct (i.e. they match the local debug binaries on the gdb host): DONE
[uweigand] extend gdb protocol if needed: POSTPONED
[uweigand] patch gdbserver to warn if ptrace() is disabled, and explain how to enable it: POSTPONED

re: patching gdbserver: michaelh1 discussed with uweigand and decided to push it into the gdbserver work in next cycle. The particular change is Ubuntu specific and was discussed and rejected upstream. Ubuntu may need to carry the patch themselves.

(?)

Work Items

Dependency tree

* Blueprints in grey have been implemented.