Helpful Features in a Debugger

[Pontus Pihlgren]

On Mon, Feb 22, 2016 at 09:08:56AM -0500, Jerome H. Fine wrote:
> 
> A number of other ideas are as follows:
> 
> (a)  During a multi-step sequence, stop the sequence when the
>      stack has more then a specified number of words of increase
>      or decrease - each specified separately
> (b)  Set the address range within which the stack must remain
>       or a multi-step sequence is stopped which is similar to (a),
>       but expressed differently
> (c)  Set the address range within which the program counter
>       must remain or a multi-step sequence s stopped

I can see how all of these can be usefull. Perhaps a possibility of 
stopping after a given number of jumps?

> Also possible to be checked are specified values that registers
> have, or don't have, which stop a multi-step sequence.  Checks
> on memory locations can also be included.

Watching memory locations for changes or agains boolean expressions is 
very useful. 

> And a record of which instructions were executed by saving
> the program counter addresses in a circular buffer allows the
> user to check for unexpected execution of certain parts of
> the code.

A collegue used a similar tool that recorded _everything_ that happened 
in a CPU under testing. So he could step back and forth in program time 
and inspect registers and memory. Very useful and very expensive 
apparently.

> All suggestions and comments are much appreciated!!!!!!!!!

I allways use "run to" which is just a temporary breakpoint. Useful and 
probably easy to implement.

/P