hardwareBreakpoints to force HW only bpts

Author: haneefdm

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 # ChangeLog
 
+# V1.13.0-pre8
+* Added `hardwareBreakpoints: {required: boolean, limit: numer}` to debug configuration. You can force all breakpoints to use hardware breakpoints. You can also ask cortex-debug to limit the number such breakpoints or you can let gdb or your gdb-server enforce a limit. Please use `hardwareBreakpoints` with caution as in most cases it is better to let gdb decide which type of breakpoint to use based on memory types while making sure you are not over the limit -- this is especially true for devices with large SRAMs where you can have near inifite breakpoints and not even have a performance penalty. HW breakpoints are not inherently better than SW breakpoints so long as GDB can read/write to memory locations.
+
 # V1.13.0-pre7
 * Added `overridePreEndSessionCommands` to control how a session ends. If the session does not end your way, we sill end the session the normal way
 * We try `monitor exit` to exit the server before we try `target-disconnect` for those servers that do not follow the GDB rules

debug_attributes.md

@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ If the type is marked as `{...}` it means that it is a complex item can have mul
 | gdbPath | string | Both | This setting can be used to override the GDB path user/workspace setting for a particular launch configuration. This should be the full pathname to the executable (or name of the executable if it is in your PATH). Note that other toolchain executables with the configured prefix must still be available. |
 | gdbTarget | string | Both | For externally (servertype = "external") controlled GDB Servers you must specify the GDB target to connect to. This can either be a "hostname:port" combination or path to a serial port |
 | graphConfig | {object} | Both | Description of how graphing can be done. See our Wiki for details |
+| hardwareBreakpoints | object | Both | WARNING: Force only HW breakpoints to be used. By default GDB will use HW or SW  breakpoints depending on memory type. Use this only in rare circumstances to work around issues in your gdb-server or hardware. This setting is NOT recommended for general use. |
+| hardwareBreakpoints<br>.limit | number | Both | If limit > 0, enforce a limit on the number of hardware breakpoints that can be used |
+| hardwareBreakpoints<br>.required | boolean | Both | If true, forces the use of hardware breakpoints |
 | interface | string | Both | Debug Interface type to use for connections (defaults to SWD) - Used for J-Link, ST-LINK and BMP probes. |
 | ipAddress | string | Both | IP Address for networked J-Link Adapter |
 | jlinkscript | string | Both | J-Link script file - optional input file for customizing J-Link actions. |

package.json

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
-    "version": "1.13.0-pre7",
+    "version": "1.13.0-pre8",
     "preview": false,
     "activationEvents": [
         "onDebugResolve:cortex-debug",
@@ -800,6 +800,24 @@
                                 "maximum": 9,
                                 "default": 0
                             },
+                            "hardwareBreakpoints": {
+                                "description": "WARNING: Force only HW breakpoints to be used. By default GDB will use HW or SW  breakpoints depending on memory type. Use this only in rare circumstances to work around issues in your gdb-server or hardware. This setting is NOT recommended for general use.",
+                                "type": "object",
+                                "properties": {
+                                    "required": {
+                                        "type": "boolean",
+                                        "default": false,
+                                        "description": "If true, forces the use of hardware breakpoints"
+                                    },
+                                    "limit": {
+                                        "type": "number",
+                                        "minimum": 0,
+                                        "multipleOf": 1,
+                                        "default": 0,
+                                        "description": "If limit > 0, enforce a limit on the number of hardware breakpoints that can be used"
+                                    }
+                                }
+                            },
                             "liveWatch": {
                                 "description": "An object with parameters for Live Watch",
                                 "properties": {
@@ -1950,6 +1968,24 @@
                                 "maximum": 9,
                                 "default": 0
                             },
+                            "hardwareBreakpoints": {
+                                "description": "WARNING: Force only HW breakpoints to be used. By default GDB will use HW or SW  breakpoints depending on memory type. Use this only in rare circumstances to work around issues in your gdb-server or hardware. This setting is NOT recommended for general use.",
+                                "type": "object",
+                                "properties": {
+                                    "required": {
+                                        "type": "boolean",
+                                        "default": false,
+                                        "description": "If true, forces the use of hardware breakpoints"
+                                    },
+                                    "limit": {
+                                        "type": "number",
+                                        "minimum": 0,
+                                        "multipleOf": 1,
+                                        "default": 0,
+                                        "description": "If limit > 0, enforce a limit on the number of hardware breakpoints that can be used"
+                                    }
+                                }
+                            },
                             "liveWatch": {
                                 "description": "An object with parameters for Live Watch",
                                 "properties": {

src/backend/backend.ts

@@ -6,14 +6,18 @@ import { hexFormat } from '../frontend/utils';
 export interface OurSourceBreakpoint extends DebugProtocol.SourceBreakpoint {
     file?: string;
     raw?: string;       // Used for function name as well and old style address breakpoints
+    isFunction?: boolean;
+    isTemporary?: boolean;
     // What we get from gdb below
     address?: string;
     number?: number;
+    hwOpt?: string; // The gdb MI argument to use for hardware breakpoint allocation
 }
 
 export interface OurInstructionBreakpoint extends DebugProtocol.InstructionBreakpoint {
     address: number;
     number: number;
+    htOpt?: string; // The gdb MI argument to use for hardware breakpoint allocation
 }
 
 export interface OurDataBreakpoint extends DebugProtocol.DataBreakpoint {

src/backend/mi2/mi2.ts

@@ -366,7 +366,9 @@ export class MI2 extends EventEmitter implements IBackend {
                                         fid = item[1];  // for future use, available for thread-selected
                                     }
                                 }
-                                if (record.asyncClass === 'thread-created') {
+                                if (record.asyncClass === 'breakpoint-deleted') {
+                                    this.emit('breakpoint-deleted', { bkptId: parseInt(tid) });
+                                } else if (record.asyncClass === 'thread-created') {
                                     this.emit('thread-created', { threadId: parseInt(tid), threadGroupId: gid });
                                 } else if (record.asyncClass === 'thread-exited') {
                                     this.emit('thread-exited', { threadId: parseInt(tid), threadGroupId: gid });
@@ -567,20 +569,6 @@ export class MI2 extends EventEmitter implements IBackend {
         });
     }
 
-    public goto(filename: string, line: number): Thenable<boolean> {
-        if (trace) {
-            this.log('stderr', 'goto');
-        }
-        return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-            const target: string = '"' + (filename ? escape(filename) + ':' : '') + line.toString() + '"';
-            this.sendCommand('break-insert -t ' + target).then(() => {
-                this.sendCommand('exec-jump ' + target).then((info) => {
-                    resolve(info.resultRecords.resultClass === 'running');
-                }, reject);
-            }, reject);
-        });
-    }
-
     public restart(commands: string[]): Thenable<boolean> {
         if (trace) {
             this.log('stderr', 'restart');
@@ -653,10 +641,24 @@ export class MI2 extends EventEmitter implements IBackend {
                 bkptArgs += `-c "${breakpoint.condition}" `;
             }
 
-            if (breakpoint.raw) {
+            if (breakpoint.isTemporary) {
+                bkptArgs += '-t ';
+            }
+
+            if (breakpoint.isFunction) {
+                bkptArgs += '--function ' + '"' + escape(breakpoint.raw) + '" ';
+            } else if (breakpoint.raw) {
                 bkptArgs += '*' + escape(breakpoint.raw);
             } else {
-                bkptArgs += '"' + escape(breakpoint.file) + ':' + breakpoint.line + '"';
+                bkptArgs += '"' + escape(breakpoint.file) + ':' + breakpoint.line + '" ';
+            }
+
+            if (breakpoint.hwOpt) {
+                if (breakpoint.logMessage) {
+                    reject(new MIError('Hardware breakpoints not supported by gdb with logpoints (dprintf) ' + bkptArgs, 'internal'));
+                    return;
+                }
+                bkptArgs = breakpoint.hwOpt + ' ' + bkptArgs;
             }
 
             const cmd = breakpoint.logMessage ? 'dprintf-insert' : 'break-insert';
@@ -699,7 +701,7 @@ export class MI2 extends EventEmitter implements IBackend {
 
             bkptArgs += '*' + hexFormat(breakpoint.address);
 
-            this.sendCommand(`break-insert ${bkptArgs}`).then((result) => {
+            this.sendCommand(`break-insert ${breakpoint.htOpt || ''} ${bkptArgs}`).then((result) => {
                 if (result.resultRecords.resultClass === 'done') {
                     const bkptNum = parseInt(result.result('bkpt.number'));
                     breakpoint.number = bkptNum;

src/common.ts

@@ -252,6 +252,10 @@ export function defSymbolFile(file: string): SymbolFile {
     return ret;
 }
 
+export interface HWBreakpointInfo {
+    required: boolean;
+    limit: number;
+}
 export interface ConfigurationArguments extends DebugProtocol.LaunchRequestArguments {
     name: string;
     request: string;
@@ -307,6 +311,7 @@ export interface ConfigurationArguments extends DebugProtocol.LaunchRequestArgum
     registerUseNaturalFormat: boolean;
     variableUseNaturalFormat: boolean;
     chainedConfigurations: ChainedConfigurations;
+    hardwareBreakpoints: HWBreakpointInfo;
 
     pvtIsReset: boolean;
     pvtPorts: { [name: string]: number };