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Debug on Linux Platforms

The GNU® Debugger gdb, available on Linux® systems, provides complete source code debugging, including the ability to set breakpoints, examine variables, and step through the source code line-by-line.

In this procedure, the MATLAB® command prompt >> is shown in front of MATLAB commands, and linux> represents a Linux prompt; your system might show a different prompt. The debugger prompt is <gdb>.

This example shows the general steps to debug yprime.c, found in the MATLAB fullfile(matlabroot,'extern','examples','mex') folder.

To debug with gdb:

  1. At the Linux prompt, start the gdb debugger using the matlab function -D option.

    linux> matlab -Dgdb

  2. Tell gdb to stop for debugging.

    <gdb> handle SIGSEGV SIGBUS nostop noprint
<gdb> handle SIGUSR1 stop print

  3. Start MATLAB without the Java® Virtual Machine (JVM®) by using the -nojvm startup flag.

    <gdb> run -nojvm

  4. Compile the source MEX file with the -g option, which builds the file with debugging symbols included. For this example, at the MATLAB prompt, type:

    >> mex -g yprime.c

    In MATLAB, enable debugging with the dbmex function and run your binary MEX file.

    >> dbmex on
>> yprime(1,1:4)

  5. You are ready to start debugging.

    It is often convenient to set a breakpoint at mexFunction so you stop at the beginning of the gateway routine.

    <gdb> break mexFunction
<gdb> r

  6. Once you hit one of your breakpoints, you can make full use of any commands the debugger provides to examine variables, display memory, or inspect registers.

    To proceed from a breakpoint, type:

    <gdb> continue

  7. After stopping at the last breakpoint, type:

    <gdb> continue

    yprime finishes and MATLAB displays:

    ans =

    2.0000    8.9685    4.0000   -1.0947

  8. From the MATLAB prompt you can return control to the debugger by typing:

    >> dbmex stop

    Or, if you are finished running MATLAB, type:

    >> quit

  9. When you are finished with the debugger, type:

    <gdb> quit

    You return to the Linux prompt.

Refer to the documentation provided with your debugger for more information on its use.

See Also