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  60. Next: <a href="Variables.html#Variables" accesskey="n" rel="next">Variables</a>, Previous: <a href="Expressions.html#Expressions" accesskey="p" rel="prev">Expressions</a>, Up: <a href="Data.html#Data" accesskey="u" rel="up">Data</a> &nbsp; [<a href="index.html#SEC_Contents" title="Table of contents" rel="contents">Contents</a>][<a href="Concept-Index.html#Concept-Index" title="Index" rel="index">Index</a>]</p>
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  63. <a name="Ambiguous-Expressions-1"></a>
  64. <h3 class="section">10.2 Ambiguous Expressions</h3>
  65. <a name="index-ambiguous-expressions"></a>
  66. <p>Expressions can sometimes contain some ambiguous elements. For instance,
  67. some programming languages (notably Ada, C<tt>++</tt> and Objective-C) permit
  68. a single function name to be defined several times, for application in
  69. different contexts. This is called <em>overloading</em>. Another example
  70. involving Ada is generics. A <em>generic package</em> is similar to C<tt>++</tt>
  71. templates and is typically instantiated several times, resulting in
  72. the same function name being defined in different contexts.
  73. </p>
  74. <p>In some cases and depending on the language, it is possible to adjust
  75. the expression to remove the ambiguity. For instance in C<tt>++</tt>, you
  76. can specify the signature of the function you want to break on, as in
  77. <kbd>break <var>function</var>(<var>types</var>)</kbd>. In Ada, using the fully
  78. qualified name of your function often makes the expression unambiguous
  79. as well.
  80. </p>
  81. <p>When an ambiguity that needs to be resolved is detected, the debugger
  82. has the capability to display a menu of numbered choices for each
  83. possibility, and then waits for the selection with the prompt &lsquo;<samp>&gt;</samp>&rsquo;.
  84. The first option is always &lsquo;<samp>[0] cancel</samp>&rsquo;, and typing <kbd>0 <span class="key">RET</span></kbd>
  85. aborts the current command. If the command in which the expression was
  86. used allows more than one choice to be selected, the next option in the
  87. menu is &lsquo;<samp>[1] all</samp>&rsquo;, and typing <kbd>1 <span class="key">RET</span></kbd> selects all possible
  88. choices.
  89. </p>
  90. <p>For example, the following session excerpt shows an attempt to set a
  91. breakpoint at the overloaded symbol <code>String::after</code>.
  92. We choose three particular definitions of that function name:
  93. </p>
  94. <div class="smallexample">
  95. <pre class="smallexample">(gdb) b String::after
  96. [0] cancel
  97. [1] all
  98. [2] file:String.cc; line number:867
  99. [3] file:String.cc; line number:860
  100. [4] file:String.cc; line number:875
  101. [5] file:String.cc; line number:853
  102. [6] file:String.cc; line number:846
  103. [7] file:String.cc; line number:735
  104. &gt; 2 4 6
  105. Breakpoint 1 at 0xb26c: file String.cc, line 867.
  106. Breakpoint 2 at 0xb344: file String.cc, line 875.
  107. Breakpoint 3 at 0xafcc: file String.cc, line 846.
  108. Multiple breakpoints were set.
  109. Use the &quot;delete&quot; command to delete unwanted
  110. breakpoints.
  111. (gdb)
  112. </pre></div>
  113. <dl compact="compact">
  114. <dd><a name="index-set-multiple_002dsymbols"></a>
  115. </dd>
  116. <dt><code>set multiple-symbols <var>mode</var></code></dt>
  117. <dd><a name="index-multiple_002dsymbols-menu"></a>
  118. <p>This option allows you to adjust the debugger behavior when an expression
  119. is ambiguous.
  120. </p>
  121. <p>By default, <var>mode</var> is set to <code>all</code>. If the command with which
  122. the expression is used allows more than one choice, then <small>GDB</small>
  123. automatically selects all possible choices. For instance, inserting
  124. a breakpoint on a function using an ambiguous name results in a breakpoint
  125. inserted on each possible match. However, if a unique choice must be made,
  126. then <small>GDB</small> uses the menu to help you disambiguate the expression.
  127. For instance, printing the address of an overloaded function will result
  128. in the use of the menu.
  129. </p>
  130. <p>When <var>mode</var> is set to <code>ask</code>, the debugger always uses the menu
  131. when an ambiguity is detected.
  132. </p>
  133. <p>Finally, when <var>mode</var> is set to <code>cancel</code>, the debugger reports
  134. an error due to the ambiguity and the command is aborted.
  135. </p>
  136. <a name="index-show-multiple_002dsymbols"></a>
  137. </dd>
  138. <dt><code>show multiple-symbols</code></dt>
  139. <dd><p>Show the current value of the <code>multiple-symbols</code> setting.
  140. </p></dd>
  141. </dl>
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