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Bug 332470

Summary:	gdb hw-dbg. "command cannot be used without an exec file" from load and compare-sections
Product:	[Tools] CDT	Reporter:	Martin Thomas <mthomas>
Component:	cdt-debug-hardware	Assignee:	cdt-debug-inbox <cdt-debug-inbox>
Status:	NEW ---	QA Contact:	John Dallaway <john>
Severity:	minor
Priority:	P3	CC:	cdtdoug, john, jonah, pawel.1.piech
Version:	8.0
Target Milestone:	---
Hardware:	PC
OS:	Windows XP
Whiteboard:
Bug Depends on:	457697
Bug Blocks:

Description Martin Thomas

2010-12-13 15:28:46 EST

Build Identifier: 20100917-0705

With C/C++ GDB Hardware Debugging 7.0.0.201009241320 when using the 'load' and 'compare-sections' gbd-commands in Startup->Initialization Commands->text-box the error "command cannot be used without an exec file" is shown and debugging stops. This did not happen in previous versions with the same launch-configurations. compare-sections is useful to verify that the flash-memory of remote embedded targets has been written correctly via gbd's load/vFlash-interface.

Work-around for 'load' is to remove the command from the text-box and check/select 'Load image' with 'Use project binary'. But for 'compare-section' there is no option in the GUI. gdb's 'exec' or 'file' can be used to pass the project binary to gdb in the initialization commands but in previous versions this has not been needed.

Maybe the project's binary could be passed as default exec-file to gbd again or a "set projects binary as exec file"-checkbox could be added to the startup-dialog or a "compare after load"-checkbox could be to the GUI in the "Load image"-frame

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. New gdb hardware-debugging launch configuration
2. Main: select elf-file for C/C++ Application
3. select debugger and connection (used here: arm-none-eabi-gdb from Sourcery G++ Fall 2010 and remote target via OpenOCD and TCP/IP connection)
3. Test with "Load Image" checked and use projects binary selected in "Load Image and Symbols"-frame (should work)
4. Test again with "Load Image" unchecked and commands load and compare-sections in Initialization commands text-field (should produce "command cannot be used without an exec file")