Re: gdb adds random filename to command

[David L]

> > (In my case, I would never notice that it selected the wrong file, 
> because
> > I bypass the confirmation step using a macro that presses return for me
> > and then changes to the directory from which I want to be in when I 
> run).
>
> So that's the source of your problem.
Fair enough, although I'm guessing that many people get in the habit of
accepting the default without inspecting it too closely.  Most times, the
default will be correct and everyone is happy... sometimes the default
will be wrong but will be immediately obvious (for example emacs
decided I was trying to debug an excel spreadsheet with gdb because
it was executable... ask Bill Gates why ;) ).  But every once in a while,
people will think they're debugging one program and they'll actually
be debugging another.  That will be very frustrating for them (although
it's their own fault for not paying closer attention I guess).

> I think a better request would be to change the UI such that M-x gdb can do
> what your macro does.

To get my old build process working with the new emacs (with the help
of Nick Roberts), I have a section of my makefile that looks like the
following:

        @echo "(defun debug-project ()"   >> $(EXECDIR)$(EXECROOT).lisp
        @echo "(interactive)"   >> $(EXECDIR)$(EXECROOT).lisp
        @echo "(switch-to-buffer \"*scratch*\")" >> $(EXECDIR)$(EXECROOT).lisp
	@echo "(cd \"$(CVSROOTLEVEL)/$(MAKEFILEDIR)\")" >> 
$(EXECDIR)$(EXECROOT).lisp
	@echo "(gdb \"gdb --annotate=3 $(CVSROOTLEVEL)/$(EXECDIR)$(EXECROOT)\")" >> 
$(EXECDIR)$(EXECROOT).lisp
        @echo "(switch-to-buffer \"*scratch*\")" >> $(EXECDIR)$(EXECROOT).lisp
        @echo "(bury-buffer))" >> $(EXECDIR)$(EXECROOT).lisp
        @echo "(global-set-key [f4]  'debug-project)" >> 
$(EXECDIR)$(EXECROOT).lisp

This generates a file with emacs lisp code that defines a function 
debug-project that
can be invoked using the f4 key.  It changes to the *scratch* buffer in 
preparation
for running a cd (change directory) command to prevent a buffer I care about 
from
having its directory changed.  Then it changes to the directory containing 
my
makefile (which in my case is the directory I want to be in when I run the 
debugger).
Then it runs gdb with the appropriate executable filename.  Then it buries 
the
*scratch* buffer so it isn't the default next buffer.

I have an "emacs" target in my makefile that generates an etags file (which 
is nice
because your makefile knows about all of your source code) and also 
generates
a lisp file including the section above.  emacs is opened automatically and 
loads
the tags table and the lisp file... by doing this, my emacs session knows 
about all
of my source code which may be scattered across multiple directories and 
knows
the executable filename/location and the directory I want to be in when I 
debug.

So my problems with the new executable filename guessing feature are solved.
Thanks!  I still am of the opinion that this feature should be able to be 
disabled,
but I think this discussion has run its course on this list.  It seemed like 
a bug at
the time. :}

       David

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