ss_attach(1)ss_attach(1)NAMEss_attach - start a debugging session in the Sun Studio IDE attached to
a specified process
SYNOPSISss_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 session 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 com‐
mand 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 following 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 pro‐
gram to.
The ss_attach command does not help capture Java applications. 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 process.
There is no way yet to prevent dbx from advancing to main (in cases
where main has debugging information) upon a successful capture. This
makes the ss_attach command less-than-ideal for debugging static ini‐
tializers.
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 ALSOdbx(1), sunstudio(1), execvp(2).
June 2004 ss_attach(1)
