Synchronet v3.21e-Win32 (install) has been released (Mar-2026).

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howto:gdb [2018/01/06 12:58] – [Debug Build] Mention that debugging release builds is still useful. digital manhowto:gdb [2024/11/04 02:56] (current) – [Debug Synchronet for *nix using GDB] Ad bug character to title digital man
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-====== Debug Synchronet for *nix using GDB ======+====== 🐛 Debug Synchronet for *nix using GDB ======
  
 You can either run Synchronet (''sbbs'') from the GNU debugger (''gdb''), or you You can either run Synchronet (''sbbs'') from the GNU debugger (''gdb''), or you
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 You can run ''ulimit -c'' to check if core file generation is enabled for the You can run ''ulimit -c'' to check if core file generation is enabled for the
 current user profile (0 = disabled, non-zero or "unlimited" = enabled). An  current user profile (0 = disabled, non-zero or "unlimited" = enabled). An 
-"unlimited" core file size is the preferred setting. If your system is +"unlimited" core file size is the preferred setting.
-configured for no core file generation, check for a call to ''ulimit -c 0'' +
-in your ''/etc/profile'' (or similar startup file) and remove/edit the command.+
  
-:!: Linux Sysops: to help locate sbbs crash core files, the following +On Debian Linux (at least), you can enable unlimited core file generation as the default for 
-lines in your ''/etc/sysctl.conf'' file can be helpful:+all (non-root) users by adding the following line to ''/etc/security/limits.conf'' file: 
 +<file> 
 +*               soft    core            unlimited 
 +</file> 
 + 
 +If you're running sbbs daemonzied (e.g. as a *nix service), you may need to edit your service 
 +start up script (e.g. ''/etc/init.d/sbbs'') to set the core limit to //unlimited//: 
 +  ulimit -c unlimited 
 +   
 +Of in the ''[Service]'' section of your ''/lib/systemd/system/sbbs.service'' file: 
 +  LimitCORE=infinity 
 +   
 +:!: **Linux Sysops**:\\ 
 +To help locate sbbs crash core files, adding the following lines in your ''/etc/sysctl.conf'' or ''/etc/sysctl.d/sysctl.local.conf'' file can be helpful:
  
   # Controls whether core dumps will append the PID to the core filename.   # Controls whether core dumps will append the PID to the core filename.
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 This will place core files with the name ''core.sbbs.####'' in the ''/tmp'' directory This will place core files with the name ''core.sbbs.####'' in the ''/tmp'' directory
 instead of ''core.####'' in the current directory (typically ''/sbbs/ctrl''). instead of ''core.####'' in the current directory (typically ''/sbbs/ctrl'').
 +To reload the modified sysctl configuration files, run
 +  $ /sbin/sysctl --system
 +
 +Also, if you're using the ''setuid'' feature of sbbs (e.g. starts as //root// but changes to a different user after binding ports), then you may need to add the following line to your ''/etc/sysctl.conf'' file:
 +  fs.suid_dumpable = 2
 +  
 +You can also set ''suid_dumpable'' immediately and temporarily with the following command:
 +  $ echo 2 > /proc/sys/fs/suid_dumpable
 +  
  
 ===== Debugging ===== ===== Debugging =====
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 or (if debugging with a core file): or (if debugging with a core file):
   # gdb /sbbs/exec/sbbs /tmp/core.sbbs.####   # gdb /sbbs/exec/sbbs /tmp/core.sbbs.####
 +or (if attaching to an existing running instance, reading the PID from ''/var/run/sbbs.pid''):
 +  # gdb /sbbs/exec/sbbs <pid>
 +or (if attaching to an existing running instance, using ''pidof'' to determine the PID):
 +  # gdb -p $(pidof sbbs)
  
-B. Run Synchronet (if no core file used):+B. Run Synchronet non-daemonized (if no core file used):
   (gdb) run -nd   (gdb) run -nd
  
 C. After segfault or other crash (or when using a core), display back-trace: C. After segfault or other crash (or when using a core), display back-trace:
   (gdb) bt   (gdb) bt
 +or (if more details are needed):
 +  (gdb) bt full
  
 D. If (and only if) the last line of the output looks like this: D. If (and only if) the last line of the output looks like this:
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 E. Copy and paste in e-mail to rob[at]synchro[dot]net or post in one of the Synchronet [[support|discussion groups]]. E. Copy and paste in e-mail to rob[at]synchro[dot]net or post in one of the Synchronet [[support|discussion groups]].
  
-Note: When debugging a running ''sbbs'' instance, the "broken pipe" signal (''SIGPIPE'') may normally occur (e.g. when a TCP socket is disconnected) and these signals may cause unwanted breaks into GDB. To disable this, at the ''(gdb)'' prompt, type:+**TIP:**\\ 
 +To run Synchronet (non-daemonized) directly from the GNU debugger without having to type "run" at a ''(gdb)'' prompt: 
 +  # gdb -ex run --args sbbs -nd 
 + 
 +==== Root Access ==== 
 + 
 +If the ''sbbs'' process was started as root, you may need root privileges to attached with ''gdb'': 
 + 
 +  Attaching to process 21848 
 +  ptrace: Operation not permitted. 
 +  (gdb) 
 +   
 +If you get this error, try attaching again as root (e.g. run with ''sudo gdb''). 
 + 
 +==== Handling SIGPIPE ==== 
 + 
 +When debugging a //running// ''sbbs'' instance, the "broken pipe" signal (''SIGPIPE'') may normally occur (e.g. when a TCP socket is disconnected) and these signals may cause unwanted breaks into GDB (temporarily stopping sbbs and requiring a ''g'' command to continue). To disable this behavior, at the ''(gdb)'' prompt, type:
   (gdb) handle SIGPIPE nostop noprint pass   (gdb) handle SIGPIPE nostop noprint pass
 +  
 +Alternatively, you can add the following line to your ''~/.gdbinit'' file or ''/etc/gdb/gdbinit'':
 +  handle SIGPIPE nostop noprint pass
 +  
 +===== Thread Snapshot =====
 +
 +To attach to a running sbbs process and quickly collect a snapshot of backtraces from all running threads (remember, obtain root privileges first, e.g. with ''sudo'', if necessary):
 +  $ gdb -p $(pidof sbbs) -batch -ex "thread apply all bt" -ex quit > sbbs_threads.txt
  
 ===== See Also ===== ===== See Also =====
-  * [[:howto:|howto index]]+  * [[:howto:|How-To index]] 
 +  * [[https://wiki.debian.org/HowToGetABacktrace]]
  
 {{tag>debug unix linux gdb}} {{tag>debug unix linux gdb}}
  

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