Connects the gdb host environment to a target machine or
process. A target is typically a protocol for talking to debugging
facilities. You use the argument type to specify the type or
protocol of the target machine.
Further parameters are interpreted by the target protocol, but
typically include things like device names or host names to connect
with, process numbers, and baud rates.
The target command does not repeat if you press [RET] again
after executing the command.
help target
Displays the names of all targets available. To display targets
currently selected, use either info target or info files
(refer to Section 17.1 Commands to specify files).
help target name
Describe a particular target, including any parameters necessary to
select it.
set gnutarget args
{No value for `
<listitem>GDBN'} uses its own library BFD to read your files. gdb
knows whether it is reading an executable,
a core, or a .o file; however, you can specify the file format
with the set gnutarget command. Unlike most target commands,
with gnutarget the target refers to a program, not a machine.
Warning: To specify a file format with set gnutarget,
you must know the actual BFD name.
Use the show gnutarget command to display what file format
gnutarget is set to read. If you have not set gnutarget,
gdb will determine the file format for each file automatically,
and show gnutarget displays The current BDF target is "auto".
Here are some common targets (available, or not, depending on the GDB
configuration):
target exec program
An executable file. target exec program is the same as
exec-file program.
target core filename
A core dump file. target core filename is the same as
core-file filename.
target remote dev
Remote serial target in GDB-specific protocol. The argument dev
specifies what serial device to use for the connection (e.g.
/dev/ttya). Refer to Section 18.4 Remote debugging. target remote
supports the load command. This is only useful if you have
some other way of getting the stub to the target system, and you can put
it somewhere in memory where it won't get clobbered by the download.
target sim
Builtin CPU simulator. gdb includes simulators for most architectures.
In general,
target sim
load
run
works; however, you cannot assume that a specific memory map, device
drivers, or even basic I/O is available, although some simulators do
provide these. For info about any processor-specific simulator details,
see the appropriate section in (refer to Section 20.3 Embedded Processors.
Some configurations may include these targets as well:
target nrom dev
NetROM ROM emulator. This target only supports downloading.
Different targets are available on different configurations of gdb;
your configuration may have more or fewer targets.
Many remote targets require you to download the executable's code
once you've successfully established a connection.
load filename
Depending on what remote debugging facilities are configured into
gdb, the load command may be available. Where it exists, it
is meant to make filename (an executable) available for debugging
on the remote system--by downloading, or dynamic linking, for example.
load also records the filename symbol table in gdb, like
the add-symbol-file command.
If your gdb does not have a load command, attempting to
execute it gets the error message "You can't do that when your
target is …"
The file is loaded at whatever address is specified in the executable.
For some object file formats, you can specify the load address when you
link the program; for other formats, like a.out, the object file format
specifies a fixed address.
load does not repeat if you press [RET] again after using it.
