gdb: Background Execution
5.5.3 Background Execution
--------------------------
GDB's execution commands have two variants: the normal foreground
(synchronous) behavior, and a background (asynchronous) behavior. In
foreground execution, GDB waits for the program to report that some
thread has stopped before prompting for another command. In background
execution, GDB immediately gives a command prompt so that you can issue
other commands while your program runs.
If the target doesn't support async mode, GDB issues an error message
if you attempt to use the background execution commands.
To specify background execution, add a '&' to the command. For
example, the background form of the 'continue' command is 'continue&',
or just 'c&'. The execution commands that accept background execution
are:
'run'
Starting your Program Starting.
'attach'
Debugging an Already-running Process Attach.
'step'
step Continuing and Stepping.
'stepi'
stepi Continuing and Stepping.
'next'
next Continuing and Stepping.
'nexti'
nexti Continuing and Stepping.
'continue'
continue Continuing and Stepping.
'finish'
finish Continuing and Stepping.
'until'
until Continuing and Stepping.
Background execution is especially useful in conjunction with
non-stop mode for debugging programs with multiple threads; see
Non-Stop Mode. However, you can also use these commands in the normal
all-stop mode with the restriction that you cannot issue another
execution command until the previous one finishes. Examples of commands
that are valid in all-stop mode while the program is running include
'help' and 'info break'.
You can interrupt your program while it is running in the background
by using the 'interrupt' command.
'interrupt'
'interrupt -a'
Suspend execution of the running program. In all-stop mode,
'interrupt' stops the whole process, but in non-stop mode, it stops
only the current thread. To stop the whole program in non-stop
mode, use 'interrupt -a'.
Info Catalog
gdb: Non-Stop Mode
gdb: Thread Stops
gdb: Thread-Specific Breakpoints