List of Debugger Variables

The debugger has the following predefined variables. Conventionally, an Intel(R) Debugger (IDB) variable name is an identifier with a leading dollar sign ($).

Variable

Default Setting

Description

$aggregatedmsghistory

0

Controls the length of the aggregated message list. If set to the default (0), the debugger records as many messages as the system will allow.
$ascii

1

Displays whether prints ASCII or all ISO Latin-1. (see $lc_ctype)
$beep

1

Beeps on illegal command line editing.
$childprocess

0

When the debugger detects a fork, it assigns the child process ID to $childprocess.
$curcolumn

0

Displays the current column number if that information is available; 0 otherwise.
$curevent

0

Displays the current breakpoint number.
$curfile

(null)

Displays the current source file name.
$curfilepath

(null)

Displays the current source file access path.
$curline

0

Displays the current source line.
$curpc

0

Displays the current point of program execution.
$curprocess

0

Displays the current process ID.
$cursrcline

0

Displays the last source line at end of most recent source listing.
$cursrcpc

0

Displays the PC address at end of most recent machine code listing.
$curthread

0

Displays the current thread ID.
$dbxoutputformat

0

Displays various data structures in dbx format.
$dbxuse

0

Replaces (0) or appends to (1) current use paths
$decints

0

Displays integers in decimal radix.
$doverbosehelp

1

Displays the help menu front page.
$editline

1

Enables command line editing.
$eventecho

1

Echoes events with event numbers.

$exitonterminationofprocesswithpid

None

If set to process ID (pid), when that process terminates, the debugger exits.

$float80bit

1

If set to 0 (the default), prints 128-bit floating point numbers normally;if set to a non-zero value, prints 128-bit floating point numbers as 128-bit containsers holding 80-bit floating point numbers.

$floatshrinking

1

If set to the default (1), the debugger prints binary floating point numbers using the shortest possible decimal number. If set to 0, the debugger prints the decimal number which is the closest representation in the number of decimal digits available of the internal binary number.

$framesearchlimit

0

Defines the maximum number of call frames by which to extend normal language-based identifier lookups.
$funcsig

1

Displays function signature at breakpoint.
$gdb_compatible_output

0

Makes IDB output compatible with GDB output.
$givedebughints

1

Displays hints on debugger features.
$hasmeta

0

Interprets multibyte characters.
$hexints

0

Displays integers in hex radix.
$highpc

(internal debugger variable)

Returns the highest address associated with "function".
$historylines

20

Defines the number of commands to show for history.
$indent

1

Prints structures with indentation.
$lang

"None"

Defines the programming language of current routine.
$lasteventmade

0

Displays the number of last (successful) breakpoint definition.
$lc_ctype

result of
setlocale(LC_CTYPE,0L)

Defines the current locale information.
If set, passes the value through setlocale() and becomes the result.
"" is passed as 0L.
$listwindow

20

Displays the number of lines to show for list.
$main

"main"

Displays the name of the first routine in the program.
$maxstrlen

128

Defines the length of the largest string (in characters) to printed in full.
$memorymatchall

0

When set to non-zero, displays all memory matches in the specified range. Otherwise, only the first memory match is displayed.
$octints

0

Displays integers in octal radix.
$overloadmenu

1

Prompts for choice of overloaded C++ name.
$page

1

If non-zero, debugger terminal output is paged.
$pagewindow

0

Defines the number of lines per output page. The default of 0 causes the debugger to query the terminal for the page size.
$parallel_branchingfactor

8

Specifies the factor used to build the n-nary tree and determine the number of aggregators in the tree.
$parallel_aggregatordelay

3000 milliseconds

Specifies the length of time that aggregators wait before they aggregate and send messages down to the next level when not all the expected messages have been received.
$parentprocess

0

When the debugger detects a fork, it assigns the parent process ID to $parentprocess.
$pimode

0

Echoes input to log file on playback input. Only applicable to DBX mode.
$prompt

"(idb) "

Specifies debugger prompt.
$readtextfile

0

If set to non-zero, instructions are read from the text area of the binary file rather than from the memory image.
$regstyle

1

Controls the format of register names during disassembly. Valid settings are:
  • 0 = compiler names, for example, t0, ra, or zero.
  • 1 = hardware names, for example, r1, r26, or r31.
  • 2 = assembly names, for example, $1, $26, or $31.
$repeatmode

1

Repeats previous command when you press the Enter key if 1.
$reportsotrans

0

Report when an event was changed because a shared object was either opened or closed if 1.
$showlineonstartup

0

Displays the first executable line in main if 1.
$showwelcomemsg

1

Displays welcome message at startup time if 1.
$stackargs

1

Shows arguments in the call stack if 1.
$stack_levels

50

Controls the number of call stack output levels.
$statusargs

1

Prints breakpoints with parameters if 1.
$stepg0

0

Steps over routines with minimal symbols if 1.
$stoponattach

0

Stops the running process on attach if 1.

$symbolsearchlimit

100

Specifies the maximum number of symbols that will be returned by the whereis command for a regular expression search. The default value is 100; a value of 0 indicates no limit.
$threadlevel

native

Specifies native threads.
$usedynamictypes

1

Evaluates using C++ static (if 0) or dynamic (if 1) type.
$verbose

0

Produces even more output if 1.