(kind of) missing commands

[RJVB]

First time since years tinkering with gdb and a GUI to it again, and minutes after installing kdbg I already miss at least 2 commands:

• c(ontinue). One I use all the time. It looks like the Run command becomes Continue once the debuggee is started but that's an ambiguous implementation that clashes with gdb's commandline. IMHO it would be better to let Run become Restart after starting the programme, and to replace the current Restart action with Continue. Or, if I'm wrong, change Run to Cont (and back again).
• a commandline widget. I know, "The idea is that every feature of gdb is accessible by some user interface element." But IMHO that's overlooking the fact that WYSIWYG applications are really only WYSIAYG applications that can only do what the developers have foreseen, and the reason why IDEs become so bloated. Gdb is so rich and powerful that it's almost impossible to write a complete GUI that remains intuitive to navigate. Besides, gdb's commandline is one of its features, so what's wrong with a nice, compact commandline entry widget with a history or (if possible) letting it run in an embedded Konsole widget? What's wrong with having the best of both worlds?

[j6t]

• c(ontinue). One I use all the time. It looks like the Run command becomes Continue once the debuggee is started but that's an ambiguous implementation that clashes with gdb's commandline. IMHO it would be better to let Run become Restart after starting the programme, and to replace the current Restart action with Continue. Or, if I'm wrong, change Run to Cont (and back again).

Are you saying that you care how the command is named? I would have expected that once you find out that you can use F5 instead of clicking a button, you will never care about its name or icon again.

If there is an easy way to change the title of the command (and only the title), that is a way I can approve. But Continue is not going to be split off from Run unless it is possible to use the same keyboard shortcut for both commands without confusing the user and the Keyboard Shortcut dialog.

• a commandline widget. I know, "The idea is that every feature of gdb is accessible by some user interface element."

I admit that I have changed my mind a bit as far as command line access is concerned. The drawbacks that I saw in early days do not seem to exist when it is done right. However, I am not going to implement it myself.

[RJVB]

On Monday April 01 2024 12:28:41 Johannes Sixt wrote:

Are you saying that you care how the command is named?

Well, yes, I interfaces that are clear/precise and consistent, esp. if they are several to the same application that are likely to be used interchangeably. You're right that most people will end up using the shortcut, but they do have to figure out the interface at some point and some (me included) will probably use the application so rarely that they'll need to get re-acquainted with the workings more than once. (I didn't mention the shortcuts because they can be changed; F5 has been my window iconification shortcut since forever ;) ).

However, I am not going to implement it myself.

That doesn't surprise me. Not so long ago I might have considered it a fun little project. I still could, but I have enough other examples of those already...