Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!iconsys!ron
From: ron@iconsys.UUCP (Ron Holt)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards
Subject: Re: ptrace in unix tracing non-child processes
Message-ID: <216@iconsys.UUCP>
Date: 13 Apr 88 18:53:31 GMT
References: <352@tandem.UUCP>
Reply-To: ron@iconsys.UUCP (Ron Holt)
Organization: Icon International, Inc., Orem, Utah
Lines: 18
Keywords: Debugger

In article <352@tandem.UUCP> narayan@tandem.UUCP (Narayan Mohanram) writes:
>Has any one considered implementing a `xptrace ()' which can 
>debug non-child processes. This will get one the ability to
>debug processes such as daemons that are already running.

We've extended the existing ptrace() call to support tracing of arbitrary
processes in ICON/UX (our version of 4.xBSD and SVRx).  The debuggers
adb, sdb and dbx have been modified to take advantage of this.  I
believe Sun has done something similar.  There's no need to invent a
new system call; just extend the existing one.  The time spent in
implementing this functionality has been amply repaid in the ability to
debug non-child processes.

-- 
Ron Holt                     UUCP: {ihnp4,uunet,caeco,nrc-ut}!iconsys!ron
Software Development Manager ARPANET: icon%byuadam.bitnet@cunyvm.cuny.edu
Icon International, Inc.     BITNET: icon%byuadam.bitnet
Orem, Utah 84058             PHONE: (801) 225-6888