Debugger helper

[JohnToddSr]

Okay, I give up. What kind of magic do you have to do to even compile Debugger helper, let alone use it? Every time I try to compile the thing I get messages like: "undefined reference to '_imp_ZSqlFreePv', etc, etc, etc.
I'm using Qt 4.5.1 and when I'm debugging in Creator, the debugger will stop at my break points, but it won't tell me the value of my variables. I can get every other bit of info on the variables, just not the value. I'm assuming that this infamous "Debugging Helper" will help me see these values.

[wysota]

I don't think the helper uses any SQL calls. Are you sure they are not within your application? Does it use SQL?

[JohnToddSr]

Here's what I did, I opened Tools->Options->Qt4 and saw that I have a red "X" where my debugging helper should be listed. So I made sure that the MinGw Directory was pointed in the right place and I clicked "Rebuild". When it finished I clicked "Show Log". Here is some of what I found in the Log file...

Building debugging helper library in C:/DevTools/Qt4.5.1/qtc-debugging-helper/

Running C:/DevTools/MinGW/bin/mingw32-make.exe clean...
C:/DevTools/MinGW/bin/mingw32-make -f Makefile.Debug clean
mingw32-make[1]: Entering directory `C:/DevTools/Qt4.5.1/qtc-debugging-helper'
rm tmp/obj/debug_static/gdbmacros.o
mingw32-make[1]: [clean] Error -1073741515 (ignored)
rm debug/libgdbmacros.a
mingw32-make[1]: [clean] Error -1073741515 (ignored)
mingw32-make[1]: Leaving directory `C:/DevTools/Qt4.5.1/qtc-debugging-helper'
C:/DevTools/MinGW/bin/mingw32-make -f Makefile.Release clean
mingw32-make[1]: Entering directory `C:/DevTools/Qt4.5.1/qtc-debugging-helper'
rm tmp/obj/release_static/gdbmacros.o
mingw32-make[1]: [clean] Error -1073741515 (ignored)
rm release/libgdbmacros.a
mingw32-make[1]: [clean] Error -1073741515 (ignored)
mingw32-make[1]: Leaving directory `C:/DevTools/Qt4.5.1/qtc-debugging-helper'
rm libgdbmacros.a
mingw32-make: [clean] Error -1073741515 (ignored)

Runinng C:/DevTools/Qt4.5.1/bin/qmake.exe ...

Running C:/DevTools/MinGW/bin/mingw32-make.exe ...
C:/DevTools/MinGW/bin/mingw32-make -f Makefile.Debug all
mingw32-make[1]: Entering directory `C:/DevTools/Qt4.5.1/qtc-debugging-helper'
g++ -enable-stdcall-fixup -Wl,-enable-auto-import -Wl,-enable-runtime-pseudo-reloc -shared -Wl,--out-implib,debug/libgdbmacros.a -o debug/gdbmacros.dll tmp/obj/debug_static/gdbmacros.o -L'c:/DevTools/Qt4.5.1/lib' -L'c:/DevTools/Qt4.5.1/lib' -lQtGuid -lgdi32 -lcomdlg32 -loleaut32 -limm32 -lwinmm -lwinspool -lmsimg32 -lQtCored -lkernel32 -luser32 -lshell32 -luuid -lole32 -ladvapi32 -lws2_32
tmp/obj/debug_static/gdbmacros.o: In function `ZN22_GLOBAL__N_qtGhVersion13isPointerTypeERK10QBy teArray':
C:/DevTools/Qt4.5.1/qtc-debugging-helper/gdbmacros.cpp:216: undefined reference to `_imp___ZNK10QByteArray8endsWithEPKc'
C:/DevTools/Qt4.5.1/qtc-debugging-helper/gdbmacros.cpp:216: undefined reference to `_imp___ZNK10QByteArray8endsWithEPKc'
tmp/obj/debug_static/gdbmacros.o: In function `ZN22_GLOBAL__N_qtGhVersion16stripPointerTypeE10QB yteArray':
C:/DevTools/Qt4.5.1/qtc-debugging-helper/gdbmacros.cpp:221: undefined reference to `_imp___ZNK10QByteArray8endsWithEPKc'
C:/DevTools/Qt4.5.1/qtc-debugging-helper/gdbmacros.cpp:222: undefined reference to `_imp___ZN10QByteArray4chopEi'
C:/DevTools/Qt4.5.1/qtc-debugging-helper/gdbmacros.cpp:223: undefined reference to `_imp___ZNK10QByteArray8endsWithEPKc'


C:/DevTools/Qt4.5.1/qtc-debugging-helper/../include/QtCore/../../src/corelib/tools/qlist.h: (.text$_ZNK5QListI7QStringE5firstEv[QList<QString>::first() const]+0x2d ): undefined reference to `_imp___Z9qt_assertPKcS0_i'
C:/DevTools/Qt4.5.1/qtc-debugging-helper/../include/QtCore/../../src/corelib/tools/qlist.h: (.text$_ZNK5QListI7QStringE4lastEv[QList<QString>::last() const]+0x2d): undefined reference to `_imp___Z9qt_assertPKcS0_i'
collect2: ld returned 1 exit status
mingw32-make[1]: *** [debug/gdbmacros.dll] Error 1
mingw32-make[1]: Leaving directory `C:/DevTools/Qt4.5.1/qtc-debugging-helper'
mingw32-make: *** [debug-all] Error 2

Thanks for your help!

[JohnToddSr]

Actually, I may not even need the Debugging Helper if I can figure out how to display the values of my variables while debugging. I'm getting their memory address, what type they are, etc, but I'm not getting the one thing I REALLY need which is the value. If I have a QString cheese and I set it to "Whine", when I look at the db window, I see that its name is cheese, it's a QString, it has a memory address of blah, blah, but NO WHERE does it tell me that the value is Whine. I see a column called "value" but there is nothing listed in it for the variable. How do I display the value of the variable during debug?

Thanks

[wysota]

That's what the helper is for. You can also google for some helper scripts for gdb which do the same. Nevertheless the code should compile.

[JohnToddSr]

I am trying to run creator on Windows. Would that make a difference? I'm open to any reason you might think of that I could be getting the errors I'm getting. The output log I posted earlier was just a SMALL part of the 30KB file that was produced when I tried to compile it.

Is anyone else having this problem?

Thanks

[JohnToddSr]

Okay, it seems to be a Windows thing. I was able to compile Debugger Helper under CentOS Linux just fine. So, since I'm developing under windows, what do I need to do to have Debugger Helper compile under Windows?

Thanks

[wysota]

Does this happen for every application?

[JohnToddSr]

No, I'm working on several applications using Qt Creator and all of them compile fine under Windows. One of the applications uses XML, SQL, threads, GUI and it has no problem what so ever. The only app that I've had this trouble with is Debugger Helper.

[wysota]

Ok, but debugger helper should be compiled for every application you run within Creator. Isnt't that the case for you?

[JohnToddSr]

Okay, I think I'm missing something here. Let me explain what I'm doing and then you might be able to see what I'm doing wrong. If you could, could you walk me through what I'm supposed to do to Compile Debugger helper after you read this?
Let's say I have a program that I'm writing called "Hello World". I open Qt Creator and start a new project. I tell the wizard that I don't want a GUI, it's a Qt4 Console App. After I write my code I go to Tools -> Options-> Qt4-> Qt Versions and I have an entry in the table called Auto-detected with a valid path to my Qt build and a red "X" under the Debugger Helper column. So, I browse until I find my MinGw Directory and then I click the "Rebuild" button. When it finishes, I still have a red "X" in the Debugger Helper column and I click the "Show Log" button and there are hundreds and hundreds of "undefined reference" errors.

I have done this same process for each of the applications I'm building and the result is always the same.

Thanks

[wysota]

Unfortunately for me it just works... I'm currently running under Linux with Qt 4.5.0 installed.

Did you compile Qt yourself?

[JohnToddSr]

As I said in an earlier post, I was able to compile it fine under Linux. However, I am trying to compile it under Windows XP, service pack 3, using Qt 4.5.1. I'm wondering if it cannot be compiled under Windows XP, (or any windows for that matter). Has anyone been able to compile Debugger Helper under Microsoft Windows at all and, if so, how did you do it?

Thanks

[wysota]

But how did you install Qt on Windows?

[JohnToddSr]

I built it using the MinGW compiler version 3.4.5. Static build with debugging.

[wysota]

Then probably the static nature of your Qt bundle is causing the trouble. It seems the compilation can't access your Qt libs using -lQtCored and -lQtGuid. You might try compiling the helper manually substituting the faulty compiler call with a hand-crafted proper one.

[JohnToddSr]

First off, let me say something that I should have said earlier...thank you for your help with all this. I do appreciate the time your taking to help me fix this. I also think you're probably right about the static install. I have to confess, however, that I'm a little confused on how to create a proper compiler call. Could you give me an example of something like what you're talking about?

Thanks again

[wysota]

I'm not sure if it is possible at all but if I were to try, I would take the line the linker complained against and I'd substitute the -lQtXXX entries with proper static equivalents (libQtCored.a or something like that).

By the way, developping in a static environment compiled in debug mode is... weird Consider developping using dynamic libraries and only do the final link against static-release build of Qt when you give the application to the client.

[FiXXXeR]

Have you tried removing all references to any Visual Studio directories in your system LIB and INCLUDE environment variables?

I had the same problem, and I solved it by actually deleting those two system variables from Control Panel-->System-->Advanced-->Environment Variables.

Reference:
http://www.qtforum.org/post/82495/co...html#post82495

[sirQit]

Hi all, I didn't want to start a new thread so I will reply on this one

I am able to build the debugger helper, I have the green check in the Qt version I am using, the IDE does not complaint about not finding the debugger helper but the debugger cannot see the contents of any Qt type.

I have removed the CONFIG line in the .pro file, it was += debug though...

I am running QtCreator in Windows Vista, and I am not sure if that is a problem.

do you have any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.