From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: main.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: Nick Roberts Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.devel Subject: Re: gdba probs Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2002 21:39:33 +0000 Sender: emacs-devel-bounces+emacs-devel=quimby.gnus.org@gnu.org Message-ID: <15862.24341.33459.546013@nick.uklinux.net> References: <15855.47556.171128.631234@nick.uklinux.net> <15858.42618.90759.591751@nick.uklinux.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: main.gmane.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Trace: main.gmane.org 1039557910 4638 80.91.224.249 (10 Dec 2002 22:05:10 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@main.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2002 22:05:10 +0000 (UTC) Cc: emacs-devel@gnu.org Return-path: Original-Received: from quimby.gnus.org ([80.91.224.244]) by main.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 3.35 #1 (Debian)) id 18LsV1-0001CD-00 for ; Tue, 10 Dec 2002 23:05:07 +0100 Original-Received: from monty-python.gnu.org ([199.232.76.173]) by quimby.gnus.org with esmtp (Exim 3.12 #1 (Debian)) id 18Lsfm-0004ui-00 for ; Tue, 10 Dec 2002 23:16:14 +0100 Original-Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1] helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.10.13) id 18LsPT-0003yx-00 for emacs-devel@quimby.gnus.org; Tue, 10 Dec 2002 16:59:23 -0500 Original-Received: from list by monty-python.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.10.13) id 18LsP4-0003yM-00 for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Tue, 10 Dec 2002 16:58:58 -0500 Original-Received: from mail by monty-python.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.10.13) id 18LsP2-0003xa-00 for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Tue, 10 Dec 2002 16:58:57 -0500 Original-Received: from bts-0038.dialup.zetnet.co.uk ([194.247.48.38] helo=nick.uklinux.net) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.10.13) id 18LsBp-0001Me-00; Tue, 10 Dec 2002 16:45:18 -0500 Original-Received: by nick.uklinux.net (Postfix, from userid 501) id AA27776037; Tue, 10 Dec 2002 21:39:33 +0000 (GMT) Original-To: rms@gnu.org, monnier+gnu/emacs@rum.cs.yale.edu, miles@gnu.org In-Reply-To: X-Mailer: VM 6.97 under Emacs 21.1.1 X-BeenThere: emacs-devel@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1b5 Precedence: list List-Id: Emacs development discussions. List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Archive: List-Unsubscribe: , Errors-To: emacs-devel-bounces+emacs-devel=quimby.gnus.org@gnu.org Xref: main.gmane.org gmane.emacs.devel:10045 X-Report-Spam: http://spam.gmane.org/gmane.emacs.devel:10045 Richard Stallman (RMS), Stefan Monnier(SM), Miles Bader(MB) write: RMS> Apart from the errors, I like to think much of the functionality is self RMS> evident. RMS> RMS> Maybe so, but the person who said he didn't know what these windows RMS> were for apparently did not find it so. How about if you talk with him RMS> about why it wasn't evident to him? If you mean Miles, I think he was only confused by the display window that popped up in its own frame when it wouldn't have done if there were no errors. SM> Their meaning is indeed obvious when they're not empty. SM> When they're empty, the buffer name gives a good hint, but I'm not SM> sure it's enough to make it "obvious". They're never completely empty. Even `No breakpoints or watchpoints.' or `No stack.' are clues. I would say that they were `self-evident to anyone familiar with GUI debuggers'. Since that doesn't include everyone, I will document it. RMS> Please do document it (in Texinfo format). How does this work ? Do I put my changes in building.texi ? Do I install the patch or submit it to the mailing list/you. Can it have references to gdb info pages or only ones in the emacs distribution ? Texinfo files don't seem to be updated very frequently. Do I install something rough and ready now and develop it or wait until I feel its stable? MB> The GUI debuggers I've used typically start out displaying only one or two MB> windows (e.g., the command window and a source window, sort of like normal MB> gud mode), but offer toolbar buttons to easily pop up others; once the others MB> are popped up, they are updated continuously. Note that for some window MB> types, you can pop up more than one instance -- e.g. memory display windows, MB> where you may want to display several regions of memory simultaneously. OK, I'll change the default value of gdb-many-windows to nil. This means gdba will start with just two windows : the GUD buffer and the source. The user will then have to express a preference for six. Note, however, that other buffers, such as the breakpoints buffer, are still needed (in this case for placing the breakpoint icons), even though they are not visible. The input/output buffer will automatically appear when the program is run but I'll try to stop that. RMS> Can you think of ways to make the text in the windows themselves show RMS> what they do and how to use them? Please put some effort into this. A RMS> major part of the idea of graphical interfaces is that they can, with RMS> some effort, be self-explanatory. I will try to bear in mind these things and the other comments made on this mailing list as the mode develops. Nick