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 - <a name="Convenience-Funs"></a>
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 - <p>
 - Next: <a href="Registers.html#Registers" accesskey="n" rel="next">Registers</a>, Previous: <a href="Convenience-Vars.html#Convenience-Vars" accesskey="p" rel="prev">Convenience Vars</a>, Up: <a href="Data.html#Data" accesskey="u" rel="up">Data</a>   [<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>
 - </div>
 - <hr>
 - <a name="Convenience-Functions"></a>
 - <h3 class="section">10.12 Convenience Functions</h3>
 - 
 - <a name="index-convenience-functions"></a>
 - <p><small>GDB</small> also supplies some <em>convenience functions</em>.  These
 - have a syntax similar to convenience variables.  A convenience
 - function can be used in an expression just like an ordinary function;
 - however, a convenience function is implemented internally to
 - <small>GDB</small>.
 - </p>
 - <p>These functions do not require <small>GDB</small> to be configured with
 - <code>Python</code> support, which means that they are always available.
 - </p>
 - <dl compact="compact">
 - <dt><code>$_isvoid (<var>expr</var>)</code></dt>
 - <dd><a name="index-_0024_005fisvoid_002c-convenience-function"></a>
 - <p>Return one if the expression <var>expr</var> is <code>void</code>.  Otherwise it
 - returns zero.
 - </p>
 - <p>A <code>void</code> expression is an expression where the type of the result
 - is <code>void</code>.  For example, you can examine a convenience variable
 - (see <a href="Convenience-Vars.html#Convenience-Vars">Convenience Variables</a>) to check whether
 - it is <code>void</code>:
 - </p>
 - <div class="smallexample">
 - <pre class="smallexample">(gdb) print $_exitcode
 - $1 = void
 - (gdb) print $_isvoid ($_exitcode)
 - $2 = 1
 - (gdb) run
 - Starting program: ./a.out
 - [Inferior 1 (process 29572) exited normally]
 - (gdb) print $_exitcode
 - $3 = 0
 - (gdb) print $_isvoid ($_exitcode)
 - $4 = 0
 - </pre></div>
 - 
 - <p>In the example above, we used <code>$_isvoid</code> to check whether
 - <code>$_exitcode</code> is <code>void</code> before and after the execution of the
 - program being debugged.  Before the execution there is no exit code to
 - be examined, therefore <code>$_exitcode</code> is <code>void</code>.  After the
 - execution the program being debugged returned zero, therefore
 - <code>$_exitcode</code> is zero, which means that it is not <code>void</code>
 - anymore.
 - </p>
 - <p>The <code>void</code> expression can also be a call of a function from the
 - program being debugged.  For example, given the following function:
 - </p>
 - <div class="smallexample">
 - <pre class="smallexample">void
 - foo (void)
 - {
 - }
 - </pre></div>
 - 
 - <p>The result of calling it inside <small>GDB</small> is <code>void</code>:
 - </p>
 - <div class="smallexample">
 - <pre class="smallexample">(gdb) print foo ()
 - $1 = void
 - (gdb) print $_isvoid (foo ())
 - $2 = 1
 - (gdb) set $v = foo ()
 - (gdb) print $v
 - $3 = void
 - (gdb) print $_isvoid ($v)
 - $4 = 1
 - </pre></div>
 - 
 - </dd>
 - <dt><code>$_gdb_setting_str (<var>setting</var>)</code></dt>
 - <dd><a name="index-_0024_005fgdb_005fsetting_005fstr_002c-convenience-function"></a>
 - <p>Return the value of the <small>GDB</small> <var>setting</var> as a string.
 - <var>setting</var> is any setting that can be used in a <code>set</code> or
 - <code>show</code> command (see <a href="Controlling-GDB.html#Controlling-GDB">Controlling GDB</a>).
 - </p>
 - <div class="smallexample">
 - <pre class="smallexample">(gdb) show print frame-arguments
 - Printing of non-scalar frame arguments is "scalars".
 - (gdb) p $_gdb_setting_str("print frame-arguments")
 - $1 = "scalars"
 - (gdb) p $_gdb_setting_str("height")
 - $2 = "30"
 - (gdb)
 - </pre></div>
 - 
 - </dd>
 - <dt><code>$_gdb_setting (<var>setting</var>)</code></dt>
 - <dd><a name="index-_0024_005fgdb_005fsetting_002c-convenience-function"></a>
 - <p>Return the value of the <small>GDB</small> <var>setting</var>.
 - The type of the returned value depends on the setting.
 - </p>
 - <p>The value type for boolean and auto boolean settings is <code>int</code>.
 - The boolean values <code>off</code> and <code>on</code> are converted to
 - the integer values <code>0</code> and <code>1</code>.  The value <code>auto</code> is
 - converted to the value <code>-1</code>.
 - </p>
 - <p>The value type for integer settings is either <code>unsigned int</code>
 - or <code>int</code>, depending on the setting.
 - </p>
 - <p>Some integer settings accept an <code>unlimited</code> value.
 - Depending on the setting, the <code>set</code> command also accepts
 - the value <code>0</code> or the value <code>-1</code> as a synonym for
 - <code>unlimited</code>.
 - For example, <code>set height unlimited</code> is equivalent to
 - <code>set height 0</code>.
 - </p>
 - <p>Some other settings that accept the <code>unlimited</code> value
 - use the value <code>0</code> to literally mean zero.
 - For example, <code>set history size 0</code> indicates to not
 - record any <small>GDB</small> commands in the command history.
 - For such settings, <code>-1</code> is the synonym
 - for <code>unlimited</code>.
 - </p>
 - <p>See the documentation of the corresponding <code>set</code> command for
 - the numerical value equivalent to <code>unlimited</code>.
 - </p>
 - <p>The <code>$_gdb_setting</code> function converts the unlimited value
 - to a <code>0</code> or a <code>-1</code> value according to what the
 - <code>set</code> command uses.
 - </p>
 - <div class="smallexample">
 - <pre class="smallexample">(gdb) p $_gdb_setting_str("height")
 - $1 = "30"
 - (gdb) p $_gdb_setting("height")
 - $2 = 30
 - (gdb) set height unlimited
 - (gdb) p $_gdb_setting_str("height")
 - $3 = "unlimited"
 - (gdb) p $_gdb_setting("height")
 - $4 = 0
 - </pre><pre class="smallexample">(gdb) p $_gdb_setting_str("history size")
 - $5 = "unlimited"
 - (gdb) p $_gdb_setting("history size")
 - $6 = -1
 - (gdb) p $_gdb_setting_str("disassemble-next-line")
 - $7 = "auto"
 - (gdb) p $_gdb_setting("disassemble-next-line")
 - $8 = -1
 - (gdb)
 - </pre></div>
 - 
 - <p>Other setting types (enum, filename, optional filename, string, string noescape)
 - are returned as string values.
 - </p>
 - 
 - </dd>
 - <dt><code>$_gdb_maint_setting_str (<var>setting</var>)</code></dt>
 - <dd><a name="index-_0024_005fgdb_005fmaint_005fsetting_005fstr_002c-convenience-function"></a>
 - <p>Like the <code>$_gdb_setting_str</code> function, but works with
 - <code>maintenance set</code> variables.
 - </p>
 - </dd>
 - <dt><code>$_gdb_maint_setting (<var>setting</var>)</code></dt>
 - <dd><a name="index-_0024_005fgdb_005fmaint_005fsetting_002c-convenience-function"></a>
 - <p>Like the <code>$_gdb_setting</code> function, but works with
 - <code>maintenance set</code> variables.
 - </p>
 - </dd>
 - </dl>
 - 
 - <p>The following functions require <small>GDB</small> to be configured with
 - <code>Python</code> support.
 - </p>
 - <dl compact="compact">
 - <dt><code>$_memeq(<var>buf1</var>, <var>buf2</var>, <var>length</var>)</code></dt>
 - <dd><a name="index-_0024_005fmemeq_002c-convenience-function"></a>
 - <p>Returns one if the <var>length</var> bytes at the addresses given by
 - <var>buf1</var> and <var>buf2</var> are equal.
 - Otherwise it returns zero.
 - </p>
 - </dd>
 - <dt><code>$_regex(<var>str</var>, <var>regex</var>)</code></dt>
 - <dd><a name="index-_0024_005fregex_002c-convenience-function"></a>
 - <p>Returns one if the string <var>str</var> matches the regular expression
 - <var>regex</var>.  Otherwise it returns zero.
 - The syntax of the regular expression is that specified by <code>Python</code>’s
 - regular expression support.
 - </p>
 - </dd>
 - <dt><code>$_streq(<var>str1</var>, <var>str2</var>)</code></dt>
 - <dd><a name="index-_0024_005fstreq_002c-convenience-function"></a>
 - <p>Returns one if the strings <var>str1</var> and <var>str2</var> are equal.
 - Otherwise it returns zero.
 - </p>
 - </dd>
 - <dt><code>$_strlen(<var>str</var>)</code></dt>
 - <dd><a name="index-_0024_005fstrlen_002c-convenience-function"></a>
 - <p>Returns the length of string <var>str</var>.
 - </p>
 - </dd>
 - <dt><code>$_caller_is(<var>name</var><span class="roman">[</span>, <var>number_of_frames</var><span class="roman">]</span>)</code></dt>
 - <dd><a name="index-_0024_005fcaller_005fis_002c-convenience-function"></a>
 - <p>Returns one if the calling function’s name is equal to <var>name</var>.
 - Otherwise it returns zero.
 - </p>
 - <p>If the optional argument <var>number_of_frames</var> is provided,
 - it is the number of frames up in the stack to look.
 - The default is 1.
 - </p>
 - <p>Example:
 - </p>
 - <div class="smallexample">
 - <pre class="smallexample">(gdb) backtrace
 - #0  bottom_func ()
 -     at testsuite/gdb.python/py-caller-is.c:21
 - #1  0x00000000004005a0 in middle_func ()
 -     at testsuite/gdb.python/py-caller-is.c:27
 - #2  0x00000000004005ab in top_func ()
 -     at testsuite/gdb.python/py-caller-is.c:33
 - #3  0x00000000004005b6 in main ()
 -     at testsuite/gdb.python/py-caller-is.c:39
 - (gdb) print $_caller_is ("middle_func")
 - $1 = 1
 - (gdb) print $_caller_is ("top_func", 2)
 - $1 = 1
 - </pre></div>
 - 
 - </dd>
 - <dt><code>$_caller_matches(<var>regexp</var><span class="roman">[</span>, <var>number_of_frames</var><span class="roman">]</span>)</code></dt>
 - <dd><a name="index-_0024_005fcaller_005fmatches_002c-convenience-function"></a>
 - <p>Returns one if the calling function’s name matches the regular expression
 - <var>regexp</var>.  Otherwise it returns zero.
 - </p>
 - <p>If the optional argument <var>number_of_frames</var> is provided,
 - it is the number of frames up in the stack to look.
 - The default is 1.
 - </p>
 - </dd>
 - <dt><code>$_any_caller_is(<var>name</var><span class="roman">[</span>, <var>number_of_frames</var><span class="roman">]</span>)</code></dt>
 - <dd><a name="index-_0024_005fany_005fcaller_005fis_002c-convenience-function"></a>
 - <p>Returns one if any calling function’s name is equal to <var>name</var>.
 - Otherwise it returns zero.
 - </p>
 - <p>If the optional argument <var>number_of_frames</var> is provided,
 - it is the number of frames up in the stack to look.
 - The default is 1.
 - </p>
 - <p>This function differs from <code>$_caller_is</code> in that this function
 - checks all stack frames from the immediate caller to the frame specified
 - by <var>number_of_frames</var>, whereas <code>$_caller_is</code> only checks the
 - frame specified by <var>number_of_frames</var>.
 - </p>
 - </dd>
 - <dt><code>$_any_caller_matches(<var>regexp</var><span class="roman">[</span>, <var>number_of_frames</var><span class="roman">]</span>)</code></dt>
 - <dd><a name="index-_0024_005fany_005fcaller_005fmatches_002c-convenience-function"></a>
 - <p>Returns one if any calling function’s name matches the regular expression
 - <var>regexp</var>.  Otherwise it returns zero.
 - </p>
 - <p>If the optional argument <var>number_of_frames</var> is provided,
 - it is the number of frames up in the stack to look.
 - The default is 1.
 - </p>
 - <p>This function differs from <code>$_caller_matches</code> in that this function
 - checks all stack frames from the immediate caller to the frame specified
 - by <var>number_of_frames</var>, whereas <code>$_caller_matches</code> only checks the
 - frame specified by <var>number_of_frames</var>.
 - </p>
 - </dd>
 - <dt><code>$_as_string(<var>value</var>)</code></dt>
 - <dd><a name="index-_0024_005fas_005fstring_002c-convenience-function"></a>
 - <p>Return the string representation of <var>value</var>.
 - </p>
 - <p>This function is useful to obtain the textual label (enumerator) of an
 - enumeration value.  For example, assuming the variable <var>node</var> is of
 - an enumerated type:
 - </p>
 - <div class="smallexample">
 - <pre class="smallexample">(gdb) printf "Visiting node of type %s\n", $_as_string(node)
 - Visiting node of type NODE_INTEGER
 - </pre></div>
 - 
 - </dd>
 - <dt><code>$_cimag(<var>value</var>)</code></dt>
 - <dt><code>$_creal(<var>value</var>)</code></dt>
 - <dd><a name="index-_0024_005fcimag_002c-convenience-function"></a>
 - <a name="index-_0024_005fcreal_002c-convenience-function"></a>
 - <p>Return the imaginary (<code>$_cimag</code>) or real (<code>$_creal</code>) part of
 - the complex number <var>value</var>.
 - </p>
 - <p>The type of the imaginary or real part depends on the type of the
 - complex number, e.g., using <code>$_cimag</code> on a <code>float complex</code>
 - will return an imaginary part of type <code>float</code>.
 - </p>
 - </dd>
 - </dl>
 - 
 - <p><small>GDB</small> provides the ability to list and get help on
 - convenience functions.
 - </p>
 - <dl compact="compact">
 - <dt><code>help function</code></dt>
 - <dd><a name="index-help-function"></a>
 - <a name="index-show-all-convenience-functions"></a>
 - <p>Print a list of all convenience functions.
 - </p></dd>
 - </dl>
 - 
 - <hr>
 - <div class="header">
 - <p>
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