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VBUG Users Manual V1.2 VBUG Visual DOS DEBUG Interface Program Users Manual Copyright 1989 by Advantage Systems 1 November, 1989 1 VBUG Users Manual V1.2 Table of Contents I. Introduction and Overview Page A. Purpose 3 B. Installation 3 C. System Requirements 3 D. Overview of Features 3 E. Concept of Operation 4 II. Description of Features A. VBUG Editing Features 5 B. VBUG Display Features 5 C. Function Key Useage 5 D. Command Help 6 E. Prior Commands 7 F. Dump/Unassemble Features 7 G. Listing Code to Printer 7 III. Administration A. Warranty 8 B. Support 8 C. Future Enhancements 8 IV. Registration Form 9 2 VBUG Users Manual V1.2 I. INTRODUCTION and OVERVIEW A. Purpose VBUG is a visual interface to the DOS Debug program. It provides a continuous display of the CPU registers and allows function key input for common commands. VBUG also provides you with complete editing capability for all input as well as recall of prior commands. VBUG also provides command help and paging displays to provide a friendly visual interface for debugging without having to go to a memory intensive program such as CodeView. VBUG is provided for your use without charge. However, if you find that VBUG improves your productivity, and that you use it on a regular basis, a contribution of $19.95 is suggested to allow for development of future enhancements. Contributions should be sent directly to the author at: Advantage Systems 1981 NE Brogden Ct. Hillsboro, Oregon 97124 All users of VBUG are granted permission to copy and distribute copies of the program and documentation to others providing no charges are involved. Distribution costs may be charged recipients provided they do not exceed $7 per copy. B. Installation VBUG should be invoked from the DOS command line by simply typing: VBUG and hitting enter. VBUG may also be invoked with a file to be debugged by following VBUG with the full filename to be debugged, as follows: VBUG filename (then enter). Path names may be included with the filename, if desired. C. System Requirements VBUG is an extension to the DOS debug program and will use approximately 22k of memory to produce its features. It will function with all types of video adapters and with all versions of DOS (except DOS 1.x). 3 VBUG Users Manual V1.2 D. Overview of Features VBUG is a visual interface to the DOS debug program providing a screen oriented visual debugging enviornment. The following features are provided: 1. Full editing of all command input as well as recall and display for editing of 10 prior commands. 2. Constant display of all CPU registers as well as the current file being edited (and its size if saved). 3. Utilization of the Function keys to assist in common command input with a display of function key useage. 4. A help display of the syntax of all debug commands is available for quick review at any time. 5. Dump and Unassemble commands provide paging displays for ease of use, and unassembled code can be listed on the printer. 6. File size can be saved on entry via a function key and then reset via a function key prior to storing the edited file. 7. Full use of color is provided throughout all displays to enhance the visual interface concept. E. Concept of Operation VBUG operates as an enhancement to your current debug program which interfaces to the debug programs request for an input string. Other interfaces to debug are also provided to allow correct operation of all debug operations. Since it incorporates a modified version of debug, users are cautioned that they must be the owners of a valid version of debug prior to use of the VBUG program. However, since debug is a standard issue with all versions of DOS, users will have no problem meeting this requirement. NOTE: Users of CGA cards and monochrome monitors can modify the program to display correctly by using debug as follows: DEBUG VBUG.COM E 30E0 1 W Q This will force the program to always display in one color. 4 VBUG Users Manual V1.2 II. DESCRIPTION OF FEATURES A. VBUG Editing Features VBUG provides the full range of editing features for use in 'creating' your command string. In addition to normal keystroke editing and the use of the Backspace key to 'rubout' as you backspace, the cursor keys allow you to move to any portion of your input string for 'editing'. The Home key moves you to the start of the input string, and the End key moves you to the end of your string. In addition, for long input strings, you may 'tab' forward with the Tab key and 'tab' backwards with the shift key and the Tab key. And finally, input may be done in the standard 'Insert' mode which inserts keystrokes between existing characters, or in the 'replacement' mode which overwrites existing characters. The current mode is always displayed, and the mode can be changed by hitting the Ins key. B. VBUG Display Features The VBUG display is a visual display of the internal CPU registers of your computer. Shown on the left side of the display are the general registers on the top and the special registers in their normal association on the bottom. Shown on the right side is the flag register on the top in both a boolean display and the normal debug type of display. The current code at CS:IP is shown on the bottom right of the display. The top of the display shows the current file name in use, and if used also shows the file sizes as they are stored. Finally, the F-key line displays the setup of the F-keys. These keys are described below. C. Function Key Useage The function keys are used to invoke VDBUG features as well as to provide input assistance. Each key and its useage is described below: F1: The F1 key invokes the VBUG command syntax help screen. This screen is designed to provide you with a quick reference to the debug command syntax. After viewing the help screen, you can restore the register display by simply hitting the enter key. 5 VBUG Users Manual V1.2 F2: The F2 key recalls a screenful of your prior command entries. These prior commands can be 'selected' by moving the cursor down (or up) keys to the appropriate command. The command can then be edited as desired prior to 'inputting' it to VBUG. The Escape key is used to return you to normal entry. F3: Allows tracing of a single line of code. After execution of the code line, the register display is updated. F4: Allows program execution from the current CS:IP setting. F5: Allows tracing of a single line of code 'calls' or 'interrupts'. Registers are updated. F6: Saves the current BX/CX registers. Upon 'loading' a file these show the file size. F7: Unassembles a page starting at CS:IP. More 'pages' can be displayed with the F9 key. F8: Restores the BX/CX registers to the values stored by the F6 key. If changed by debugging, these values must be reset prior to writing the file to disk as they are used to control the actual file size for writing operations. F9: Used to display another 'page' of code. F10: Exits from VBUG without saving the current file being debugged. D. Command Help As described above, the F1 key provides a summary of the syntax of debug commands. The display is arranged to allow you to quickly view the syntax for all debug commands. In addition to the command sytax displayed, the help screen also indicates the default parameters assumed by the debug program and defines the parameters used by all debug commands. 6 VBUG Users Manual V1.2 E. Prior Commands The F2 key provides for recall of a screenful of your prior 'commands'. Any of these entries can be 'selected' simply by using the Up/Down cursor key to move to the desired selection. That selection is then automatically transferred to the 'command window' for editing. If you simply wish to re-enter that command, just hit the Enter key and you are done. However, the commands can still be 'edited' prior to submission to DOS. This feature is very useful in tracing thru loops as you can stop in the middle of a loop, trace down one line, then restart at that point and stop on the prior line. The next time through the loop you simply recall these commands and re-execute them! F. Paging Features To facilitate viewing, the Dump command and the Unassembe commands provide paging features. Once invoked, the dump command (without any length parameters) will automatically present a 'page' of data. The PgDn key will then present the next page of data, and the PgUp key will also present the previous page. This allows you to quickly 'scroll' through your data. In addition, the Unassemble command will also 'page'. You may unassemble a page of code by entering the unassemble command and a starting address. The next 'page' of code can be displayed by simply hitting the F9 key. Thus code can be quickly displayed in visual pages. If you wish to view the code at CS:IP, use the F7 key to display a page of code from CS:IP on. F9 will then continue the paged display. Note that the F2 key displays prior commands and these can be selected with the Up and Down cursor keys. Thus each display 'mode' has its own navigation keys: Unassembe uses the F7 and F9 keys; Dump uses the PgDn and PgUp keys; and prior commands use the Up and Down cursor keys. G. Listing Code to Printer Code can be listed to the printer with the 'K' command. The syntax for this new command is: K Range, where Range can be either a Start-Address followed by an Ending Offset, or a Start-Address L Bytes to unassemble. The unassembled listing will be of the form: Offset Inst Operands ;. This allows 'comments' to be conveniently added and allows 'labels' to be indicated by adding H(Offset): or by highligting that instruction. This 'Kopy' command allows sections of code to be listed to the printer to aid in debugging, thus the listed code is very similar in form to the actual assembler code to make comparisons easy. 7 VBUG Users Manual V1.2 III. ADMINISTRATION A. Warranty As distributed, VBUG is supplied without warranty. Use of this program is entirely voluntary and all risk is borne by the user. There is no warranty, implied or expressed, by the use of this product. In no event will the designer of this product be liable for any damages arising out of the use of this product. Useage of this product is agreement to the above limitations. B. Support Because of the method of distribution, no direct support can be provided to end users. However, all questions, comments, or inquiries will be addressed given the time and resources available to the author. C. Future Enhancements Given any support by the user community, the following enhancements to VBUG are planned. You can assist in this development by registering with the author and indicating your preferred priority for any(or all) of these enhancements. Comments concerning other desired features is encouraged. 1. Allow 'watchpoints' via a View command. These data areas will automatically be displayed after each Trace, Proceed, or stop command. 2. Allow a selection of the type of 'breakpoint' after each Trace or Proceed to include: Pause before redisplaying registers, shift to graphics mode then pause, or addon display of numeric coprocessor registers. 3. Adjust the seach command to dump a screenful of data around each match. 8 VBUG Users Manual V1.2 IV. REGISTRATION FORM Please register me as a user/supporter of the VBUG program. Enclosed is $19.95 in check or money order payable to: ADVANTAGE SYSTEMS 1981 NE Brogden Ct. Hillsboro, Or. 97124 NAME______________________________________________________ ADDRESS___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ COMMENTS__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ 9