1.2.3. General command language syntax

This section describes the general syntax conventions that are supported by the RealView Debugger CLI:

General syntax rules

The commands you submit to RealView Debugger must conform to the following rules:

  • Each command line can contain only one debugger command.

  • The number of qualifiers and parameters supplied must match the number required or allowed for the command, and these numbers vary between commands.

  • You can use any combination of uppercase and lowercase letters in commands.

  • A command line can be up to 4095 characters in length.

Command qualifiers

Many commands accept flags, qualifiers, and parameters, using the following syntax:

COMMAND [,qualifier | /flag] [parameter]...

If a command qualifier is present, it must appear after the command name and before any command parameters.

You introduce each command qualifier with a punctuation character that indicates its type, as follows:

,qualifier

A comma introduces a qualifier that provides RealView Debugger with additional information on how to execute a command. A qualifier introduced by a comma is typically a word. For example, the command:

DHELP,FULL =command_name

displays the full version instead of the summary version of its help text.

Other comma qualifiers are included in the command descriptions described in Chapter 2 RealView Debugger Commands.

/flag

A forward slash introduces a flag in the form of one or two letters that acts as a switch.

For example, some commands accept a size flag. Valid size flags are:

/B

8 bits. Sets the size of some value or values to a byte.

/H

16 bits. Sets the size of some value or values to a halfword.

/W

32 bits. Sets the size of some value or values to a word.

For an example of a command that accepts these qualifiers, see FILL on FILL.

Other flags formed by a slash and one or two letters are included in the command descriptions described in Chapter 2 RealView Debugger Commands.

Command parameters

As described in Command qualifiers, commands accept flags, qualifiers, and parameters.

When entering more than one parameter, you can type a space before each successive parameter to improve readability. If a parameter, for example a filename, includes spaces or other special characters, you must enclose it in double quotes ("..."), or single quotes ('...'). For details on these and all other commands supported by the CLI, see Chapter 2 RealView Debugger Commands.

Command parameters are typically expressions that represent values or addresses to be used by a command. Parameters must be separated from each other with some form of punctuation. However, punctuation for the first parameter might be optional:

=text

An equals sign introduces a text string when you have multiple parameters. It is not required for the first parameter. Depending on the command, this might specify:

  • a resource

  • a process name

  • a thread of process name

  • a number or string expression

  • an address or offset

  • a description

  • an instance

  • a location

  • a configuration.

;window

A semicolon introduces a specification of where any output produced by the command is to be sent. If you supply a ;window parameter, it must be the final parameter of the command.

;macro-call

A semicolon also introduces a specification of a macro to be called by the command. If you supply a ;macro-call parameter, it must be the final parameter of the command. (No command accepts both a ;window and a ;macro-call parameter.)

The parameters you supply to a RealView Debugger command must conform to the following rules:

  • One or more spaces must separate command parameters from a command when there is no punctuation (for example, a /, ,, or =).

  • In high-level mode, code addresses must be referenced by line numbers, labels, and function names, or casted values.

Abbreviations

You can enter many debugger commands in an abbreviated form. RealView Debugger requires enough letters to uniquely identify the command you enter.

Many commands also have aliases. An alias is a different name that you can use instead of the listed name (see ALIAS on ALIAS). If you can use a short form of an alias, the underlined characters show the shortest acceptable form, for example:

BREAKI

Is an acceptable short form of BREAKINSTRUCTION.

BINSTRUCTION

Is an alias of BREAKINSTRUCTION.

BI

Is the shortest form of BREAKINSTRUCTION.

DCOM

Is an acceptable short form of DCOMMANDS.

DHELP

Is an alias of DCOMMANDS.

To see if a particular CLI command has an acceptable short form or alias, see its description in Chapter 2 RealView Debugger Commands.

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