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Re: GDB to detect NAN


From: Paul Pluzhnikov
Subject: Re: GDB to detect NAN
Date: Sun, 02 Jul 2006 10:00:52 -0700
User-agent: Gnus/5.1006 (Gnus v5.10.6) XEmacs/21.4 (Jumbo Shrimp, linux)

"swagat" <swagat.kumar@gmail.com> writes:

> I don't know if it is the right forum to ask for gdb problems. IF it is
> not, please do let me know.

Asking in OS-specific group (and indicating what OS you are on)
may yield better results.

> In my c++ program, a particular variable takes up "nan" value after
> sometime. I want my program to stop executing at a line where it takes
> up a NAN value.
>
> How can I use GDB to perform this task?

You appear to be on Linux, so here is Linux/x86-specific answer:

    $ cat junk.c
    #include <math.h>

    double d; /* global to avoid kernel stack randomization */
    int main()
    {
        d = -1.0;
        d = sqrt(d);
        return 0;
    }

    $ gcc -g junk.c -lm
    $ gdb -q ./a.out
    (gdb) b main
    Breakpoint 1 at 0x80483a8: file junk.c, line 6.
    (gdb) r

    Breakpoint 1, main () at junk.c:6
    6           d = -1.0;
    (gdb) n
    7           d = sqrt(d);
    (gdb) n
    8           return 0;
    (gdb) p d
    $1 = -nan(0x8000000000000)    

Ok, we've got a NaN. Let's find out what the bit pattern is:

    (gdb) x/2x &d
    0x80495d0 <d>:  0x00000000      0xfff80000

Now set a hardware watch point on the "second half" of the double:

    (gdb) watch *(int*)0x80495d4
    Hardware watchpoint 2: *(int *) 134518228

And set condition such that gdb will stop only if d is becoming NaN:

    (gdb) cond 2 *(int*)0x80495d0 == 0 && *(int*)0x80495d4 == 0xfff80000

We are no longer intersted in the first breakpoint:
    (gdb) delete 1

    (gdb) r
    Hardware watchpoint 2: *(int *) 134518228
    Hardware watchpoint 2: *(int *) 134518228
    Hardware watchpoint 2: *(int *) 134518228
    Hardware watchpoint 2: *(int *) 134518228

    Old value = -1074790400
    New value = -524288
    main () at junk.c:8
    8           return 0;

Note that gdb stops on the next instruction after the one that
triggered the HW watchpoint.

    (gdb) p d
    $2 = -nan(0x8000000000000)

Bingo. 'd' just became NaN.

Cheers,
-- 
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