gdb: Attach
4.7 Debugging an Already-running Process
========================================
'attach PROCESS-ID'
This command attaches to a running process--one that was started
outside GDB. ('info files' shows your active targets.) The
command takes as argument a process ID. The usual way to find out
the PROCESS-ID of a Unix process is with the 'ps' utility, or with
the 'jobs -l' shell command.
'attach' does not repeat if you press <RET> a second time after
executing the command.
To use 'attach', your program must be running in an environment which
supports processes; for example, 'attach' does not work for programs on
bare-board targets that lack an operating system. You must also have
permission to send the process a signal.
When you use 'attach', the debugger finds the program running in the
process first by looking in the current working directory, then (if the
program is not found) by using the source file search path (
Specifying Source Directories Source Path.). You can also use the
'file' command to load the program. Commands to Specify Files
Files.
The first thing GDB does after arranging to debug the specified
process is to stop it. You can examine and modify an attached process
with all the GDB commands that are ordinarily available when you start
processes with 'run'. You can insert breakpoints; you can step and
continue; you can modify storage. If you would rather the process
continue running, you may use the 'continue' command after attaching GDB
to the process.
'detach'
When you have finished debugging the attached process, you can use
the 'detach' command to release it from GDB control. Detaching the
process continues its execution. After the 'detach' command, that
process and GDB become completely independent once more, and you
are ready to 'attach' another process or start one with 'run'.
'detach' does not repeat if you press <RET> again after executing
the command.
If you exit GDB while you have an attached process, you detach that
process. If you use the 'run' command, you kill that process. By
default, GDB asks for confirmation if you try to do either of these
things; you can control whether or not you need to confirm by using the
'set confirm' command (Optional Warnings and Messages
Messages/Warnings.).