
		    This is file "README", which is part of

             ======================================================

	      tgdb, a graphical frontend to gdb, the GNU debugger.

		Based on Tcl, Tk, TclX, TkSteal, Expect and BLT.

             ======================================================

			       Copyright (c) 1994
				       by
					
			   HighTec EDV-Systeme GmbH
			   Neue Bahnhofstr. 71
			   66386 St. Ingbert, Germany
			   Phone: +49 (68 94) 87 00 41
			   Fax:   +49 (68 94) 87 00 44
			   Email: tgdb@HighTec.saarlink.de

What is tgdb?
-------------

   tgdb is a GUI (graphical user interface) for the gdb debugger. If you've
ever taken a look at Borland's "Turbo debugger" or MicroSoft's "CodeView"
(all TM), you may imagine what tgdb is all about:

   tgdb lets you set and delete breakpoints, list source code, display
variables, step through your program and much more simply by using the mouse.
Furthermore, tgdb provides a direct command line interface to gdb, including
command line completion, a command history and a "reverse index search" to
quickly retrieve a previous command.

   tgdb provides a number of windows, which display the CPU registers, the
debugee's memory in various sizes and formats, the auto-display (aka watch)
variables and expressions, the current stack frames, etc. You can change what
the windows display simply by clicking on the value you wish to modify.

   tgdb also provides an assembly dump window, which not only allows you to
display machine instructions and to scroll up- and downwards through your
application's code, but it also allows for easy debugging at the assembler
level (setting/deleting breakpoints, single stepping, ...).

   tgdb attaches the most commonly needed debug operations to icons, such
that the commands can be easily invoked by simply clicking on these buttons.

   To make a long story short: tgdb provides everything one might expect from
a powerful and well designed graphical debugging tool.


Requirements
------------

   tgdb should run on any machine which provides a "Un*xish" operating
system and the X window system (R4-6). Since tgdb is written in Tcl, a
special interpreter (tgdb_wish) is needed, which contains Tcl, Tk, TclX,
BLT, Expect and TkSteal. Binary versions of tgdb_wish are currently
available for Linux/x86 1.x, AIX 3.2/RS6000, HP-UX 9.05 and SunOS 4.3.
The INSTALL file explains where you can get the sources for the required
packages, and how to build tgdb_wish for arbitrary platforms.

   You'll need gdb, of course. The version number should be 4.10pl1 or newer;
older releases won't work under certain circumstances (exception: our
adaptation for the Siemens C16x MCUs, which is based on gdb 3.5). If you want
to use tgdb's command line completion feature, you'll need gdb 4.13.

   A note on performance issues: tgdb is a sophisticated X application, which
simply means that it *loves* memory (*lots* of it), *fast* CPUs, and a *fast*
graphics hardware. For "classical" workstations, this won't be a problem; but
an Intel PC should be powered by (at least) a 486-33 CPU, 8MB of RAM and a
good (i.e., accelerated, >= 1MB) graphics card. Don't get me wrong: this is
not only required by tgdb, but by almost every X application; it's just that
if you run tgdb, it will start the tgdb_wish, an Xterm, gdb, plus the program
you want to debug; Linux (or whatever OS you are using) needs some memory,
the X server some more, the window manager can't live without it; then think
of the Xterm from where you started tgdb (not to mention the shells, drivers,
daemons and other goodies)...


Installation
------------

   Nothing special; just read the INSTALL file and follow its instructions.


Documentation
-------------

   tgdb comes with a comprehensive hypertext help system, which should
answer most - if not all - of your questions (so you should really RTFM ;-).
For those of you who prefer paperware, there is a Tcl script (mkman)
included; it converts tgdb's help file into a "man page" (tgdb.man), which
then can be converted into the PostScript (TM) format using [gnt]roff
(e.g. "groff -man tgdb.man -Tps > tgdb.ps").


Where to get tgdb?
------------------

   The current version of tgdb is available (via anonymous FTP) on:

   *  sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/devel/debuggers/tgdb_wish-linux.tgz
      (static and shared versions of tgdb_wish for Linux)

   *  sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/devel/debuggers/tgdb-1.1.src.tgz
      (sources for tgdb; you'll also need tgdb_wish-linux.tgz, unless you
      already have the interpreter from the 1.0 release)

New versions will be announced in the newsgroups comp.os.linux.announce
and comp.lang.tcl, so stay tuned to see what develops.


Licence policy
--------------

   tgdb is shareware, so it's not for free, but:

   - you can test the program before you buy it,
   - it's cheap (compared to a true commercial $oftware package), and
   - you get the sources, so you can modify and even redistribute tgdb.

   See file LICENSE for conditions and subtleties.



Enjoy!

HighTec EDV-Systeme GmbH
