NAME
ss_attach - start a debugging session in the Sun Studio IDE
attached to a specified process
SYNOPSIS
ss_attach program-name [argument...] [-v|-V] [-?|--help]
DESCRIPTION
The ss_attach command invokes program-name with argument(s)
and induces the Sun[tm] Studio IDE to start a debugging ses-
sion attached to the process for program-name.
Before issuing the ss_attach command, you must enable this
type of attachment to a process in the Sun Studio IDE by
choosing Tools -> Allow ss_attach request. If you have not
done so, the ss_attach command silently proceeds with the
execution of program-name.
The new debugging session in the IDE has the same current
working directory as program-name.
argument(s) are passed to the debugging session (and applied
using the dbx runargs command) so that program-name can be
rerun from within dbx.
Both the arguments and the working directory override any
previously established values stored in a dbx configuration
for the program.
If the IDE has too many ss_attach commands trying to connect
to it (for example, because of a runaway shell loop), it
stops listening to the connections. The limit is set to
spro.ss_attach.maxrequests for Sun Studio.
EXIT STATUS
If program-name is successfully invoked, the exit status of
the ss_attach command is the exit status of program-name ;
otherwise, the ss_attach command exits with one of the fol-
lowing values:
1-125 An error occurred in the ss_attach command.
126 program-name was found but could not be
invoked.
127 program-name could not be found.
If ss_attach does not successfully start a debugging session
attached to the specified process, try running ss_attach
with the -V option.
OPTIONS
-v Verbose. Makes the ss_attach command print
information about its interaction with the IDE:
$ ss_attach -v date
ss_attach: trying to connect to IDE ...
ss_attach: got connection
ss_attach: waiting for session start in IDE ...
ss_attach: Proceeding with exec.
Mon Mar 22 16:34:09 PST 2004
$
-V Version. Prints out the version of ss_attach and
exits.
-? --help
Help. Prints out a usage message and exits.
LIMITATIONS
Currently there is not a way to have the ss_attach command
start an instance of the Sun Studio IDE if one is not
already running.
If more than one instance of the IDE allows ss_attach
requests, it is undefined which IDE instance the ss_attach
command will attach the program to.
The ss_attach command does not help capture Java applica-
tions. It treats the Java[tm] Virtual Machine as a generic
native application.
A program captured by the ss_attach command is not added to
the Debug -> Load Recent menu in the IDE.
No facilities are yet available for easily enabling run time
checking or performance data collection on a captured pro-
cess.
There is no way yet to prevent dbx from advancing to main
(in cases where main has debugging information) upon a suc-
cessful capture. This makes the ss_attach command less-
than-ideal for debugging static initializers.
ENVIRONMENT
PATH program-name is searched for in $PATH through
the use of execvp(2).
FILES
None.
ERRORS
Common causes for the following error message:
ss_attach: could not connect to external start service --
service not registered
are that the IDE and ss_attach have not been started
o By the same user
o With the same $DISPLAY environment variable setting
(screen numbers are allowed to differ)
SEE ALSO
dbx(1), sunstudio(1), execvp(2).