Provided by: valgrind_3.13.0-2ubuntu2.3_amd64 bug

NAME

       vgdb - intermediary between Valgrind and GDB or a shell

SYNOPSIS

       vgdb [options]

DESCRIPTION

       vgdb ("Valgrind to GDB") is used as an intermediary between Valgrind and GDB or a shell.
       It has two usage modes:

        1. As a standalone utility, it is used from a shell command line to send monitor commands
           to a process running under Valgrind. For this usage, the vgdb OPTION(s) must be
           followed by the monitor command to send. To send more than one command, separate them
           with the -c option.

        2. In combination with GDB "target remote |" command, it is used as the relay application
           between GDB and the Valgrind gdbserver. For this usage, only OPTION(s) can be given,
           but no COMMAND can be given.

OPTIONS

       --pid=<number>
           Specifies the PID of the process to which vgdb must connect to. This option is useful
           in case more than one Valgrind gdbserver can be connected to. If the --pid argument is
           not given and multiple Valgrind gdbserver processes are running, vgdb will report the
           list of such processes and then exit.

       --vgdb-prefix
           Must be given to both Valgrind and vgdb if you want to change the default prefix for
           the FIFOs (named pipes) used for communication between the Valgrind gdbserver and
           vgdb.

       --wait=<number>
           Instructs vgdb to search for available Valgrind gdbservers for the specified number of
           seconds. This makes it possible start a vgdb process before starting the Valgrind
           gdbserver with which you intend the vgdb to communicate. This option is useful when
           used in conjunction with a --vgdb-prefix that is unique to the process you want to
           wait for. Also, if you use the --wait argument in the GDB "target remote" command, you
           must set the GDB remotetimeout to a value bigger than the --wait argument value. See
           option --max-invoke-ms (just below) for an example of setting the remotetimeout value.

       --max-invoke-ms=<number>
           Gives the number of milliseconds after which vgdb will force the invocation of
           gdbserver embedded in Valgrind. The default value is 100 milliseconds. A value of 0
           disables forced invocation. The forced invocation is used when vgdb is connected to a
           Valgrind gdbserver, and the Valgrind process has all its threads blocked in a system
           call.

           If you specify a large value, you might need to increase the GDB "remotetimeout" value
           from its default value of 2 seconds. You should ensure that the timeout (in seconds)
           is bigger than the --max-invoke-ms value. For example, for --max-invoke-ms=5000, the
           following GDB command is suitable:

                   (gdb) set remotetimeout 6

       --cmd-time-out=<number>
           Instructs a standalone vgdb to exit if the Valgrind gdbserver it is connected to does
           not process a command in the specified number of seconds. The default value is to
           never time out.

       --port=<portnr>
           Instructs vgdb to use tcp/ip and listen for GDB on the specified port nr rather than
           to use a pipe to communicate with GDB. Using tcp/ip allows to have GDB running on one
           computer and debugging a Valgrind process running on another target computer. Example:

               # On the target computer, start your program under valgrind using
               valgrind --vgdb-error=0 prog
               # and then in another shell, run:
               vgdb --port=1234

           On the computer which hosts GDB, execute the command:

               gdb prog
               (gdb) target remote targetip:1234

           where targetip is the ip address or hostname of the target computer.

       -c
           To give more than one command to a standalone vgdb, separate the commands by an option
           -c. Example:

               vgdb v.set log_output -c leak_check any

       -l
           Instructs a standalone vgdb to report the list of the Valgrind gdbserver processes
           running and then exit.

       -D
           Instructs a standalone vgdb to show the state of the shared memory used by the
           Valgrind gdbserver. vgdb will exit after having shown the Valgrind gdbserver shared
           memory state.

       -d
           Instructs vgdb to produce debugging output. Give multiple -d args to increase the
           verbosity. When giving -d to a relay vgdb, you better redirect the standard error
           (stderr) of vgdb to a file to avoid interaction between GDB and vgdb debugging output.

SEE ALSO

       valgrind(1), $INSTALL/share/doc/valgrind/html/index.html or
       http://www.valgrind.org/docs/manual/index.html, Debugging your program using Valgrind's
       gdbserver and GDB[1] vgdb[2], Valgrind monitor commands[3].

AUTHOR

       Philippe Waroquiers.

NOTES

        1. Debugging your program using Valgrind's gdbserver and GDB
           http://www.valgrind.org/docs/manual/manual-core-adv.html#manual-core-adv.gdbserver

        2. vgdb
           http://www.valgrind.org/docs/manual/manual-core-adv.html#manual-core-adv.vgdb

        3. Valgrind monitor commands
           http://www.valgrind.org/docs/manual/manual-core-adv.html#manual-core-adv.valgrind-monitor-commands