Re: How bad is GDB and C++? (was: GDB and c++ template class)
Re: How bad is GDB and C++? (was: GDB and c++ template class)
- Subject: Re: How bad is GDB and C++? (was: GDB and c++ template class)
- From: Andy Wiese <email@hidden>
- Date: Thu, 4 Nov 2004 17:48:54 -0600
I got this response today. The sender forgot to copy the list, and asked me to repost it for him. Though not reassuring, I have to admit it brightened my day...
From: email@hidden
Subject: Re: How bad is GDB and C++? (was: GDB and c++ template class)
Date: November 4, 2004 3:56:54 PM CST
To: email@hidden
Andy,
I got a pretty grim report on GDB and C++ debugging in the previous
post from Mr. Tregaskis. Not that I doubt him, but I hope to ask the
question of a broader audience. Should I even bother trying to develop
a fairly complex generic c++ project in Xcode with GDB?
I am working on porting the VCF to OS X (see http://vcf.sourceforge.net), it's all C++ at around 100K LOC, and fairly complex, and uses templates in some parts, and STL throughout.
So far, in my experience, to say that GDB utterly blows chunks and is one of the most rectally challenged programs I have ever had the misfortune of using is being nice. In fact it's being generous to a fault. You know what? Let's just be honest and lay all the cards on the table: I'd rather give myself an emergency appendectomy with a dull spoon in a dark room using the backlight from an iPod, than deal with the schizoid tendencies of GDB.
I have had so much frustration with GDB either dropping breakpoints, setting the wrong one, *adding* breakpoints seemingly at random, crashing while attempting to step through a function, or, just for kicks and giggles, crashing when I try and resume after having stepped through some code, that I have completely given up on it and just use printfs now.
I have worked without a debugger (like back before there were
debuggers, iirc), and I've worked with a debugger, and life is better
with a debugger. I don't think I can afford to sacrifice the
productivity if GDB truly can't support c++ debugging in some fashion.
I don't need fancy features, (e.g. CW breakpoints by template
instance), but if I can't step through templatized classes and inspect
local variables, I think I have to give up on Xcode.
Sounds like you'll have to give up XCode then :(. Like I said, I just use printf now, it drives me crazy (I come from a Win32 background and I'm used to having solid debugging tools, i.e. VC6 or Delphi), but I just don't know what else to do. I can't afford CW yet, but I guarantee you that the moment I can, I'll *leap* over to their site and purchase a copy as fast as I possible, since using GCC/GDB is such a sucky experience.
Cheers, hope it works out for you.
Jim
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