Re: Traceback information for EXEs linked with /DSF

From: Wayne Sewell (wayne_at_tachysoft.com)
Date: 11/13/03 

Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2003 07:38:37 -0500

>From: stephen_bainbridge@yahoo.co.uk (Steve Bainbridge)
>X-Newsgroups: comp.os.vms
>Subject: Traceback information for EXEs linked with /DSF
>Date: 13 Nov 2003 01:05:09 -0800
>Organization: http://groups.google.com
>Message-ID: <a48f6f51.0311130105.36f925eb@posting.google.com>
>X-Gateway-From: mvb.saic.com
>
>We have a set of EXEs that are linked with /NODEBUG and /TRACEBACK.
>This gives us the desired result of providing line numbers/modules
>when the application crashes.
>
>However, to help us analyse the performance of this application we are
>using DCPI (amongst other things) which requires us to either compile
>with /DEBUG or use a .DSF file generated by the LINK/DSF command. We
>would prefer not to use /DEBUG, principally because the Debugger
>starts up when the EXE is called.

Depends on how the image is activated. If via foreign command or verb, then
yes it will kick off the debugger. If with the run command, you can use
/nodebug.

>When we try to link with
>/DSF/TRACE/NODEBUG the DSF is produced but no traceback information is
>available when the application crashes. So we need either traceback
>information in the EXE or the system to get this info out of the .DSF
>when the EXE crashes.
>
>
>This is on various Alphas, running OpenVMS v7.3
>
>I've also tried assigning DBG$IMAGE_DSF_PATH to point to the current
>directory.
>
>Any ideas ?
>

Debug is simply a flag in the image header. You can easily turn it off by
clearing the bit. I have posted a program that does this in the past.
Somebody else had a command procedure.

Another possibility would be to write a bogus debug module that you could link
into the image instead of the regular debugger (with /debug=object-module). Of
course, you would have to locate the real entry point via the transfer vectory
array and call it.
===============================================================================
Wayne Sewell, Tachyon Software Consulting (281)812-0738 wayne@tachysoft.com
http://www.tachysoft.com/www/tachyon.html and wayne.html
===============================================================================
Randolph Duke (in Trading Places): "Mother always said you were greedy."
   Mortimer Duke: "She meant it as a compliment!"

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