RTOS view thread name only shows a single character

[cosmikwolf]

RTOS view thread name only shows a single character

Type: Bug Report

Describe the bug

• OS and Version: MacOS Sonoma 14.6.1

• VS Code Version:

  Version: 1.93.1
  Commit: 38c31bc77e0dd6ae88a4e9cc93428cc27a56ba40
  Date: 2024-09-11T17:20:05.685Z (2 days ago)
  Electron: 30.4.0
  ElectronBuildId: 10073054
  Chromium: 124.0.6367.243
  Node.js: 20.15.1
  V8: 12.4.254.20-electron.0
  OS: Darwin arm64 23.6.0

• Embedded Tools Extension Version: v0.7.0 and v0.7.240913001

• Target embedded device: stm32h563 using openocd over GDB

• RTOS version: threadx v6.4.1

• Other extensions you installed (and if the issue persists after disabling them): Cortex Debug v1.12.1

• A clear and concise description of what the bug is. When debugging over GDB using cortex-debug, I cannot see the thread names, I just see a single character:

To Reproduce

• Steps to reproduce the behavior:
• Start a Cortex-Debug session.
• Run the application long enough for the RTOS to initialise the threads.
• Hit a breakpoint or click Pause.
• Click Embedded Tools: RTOS Viewer tab.
• See error.

Expected behavior I expect to see the thread names. they are visible when debugging with Segger Ozone

Code sample and logs

• Code sample
• launch.json

  {
  "configurations": [
    {
      "type": "cortex-debug",
      "name": "006_pendant_board_bringup",
      "request": "attach",
      "servertype": "external",
      "gdbTarget": "localhost:3333",
      "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
      "executable": "${workspaceFolder}/build/projects/006_pendant_board_bringup/006_pendant_board_bringup.elf",
      "device": "STM32H563ZITx",
      "rtos": "Azure",
      "runToEntryPoint": "main",
      // "showDevDebugOutput": "raw",
      "svdPath": "/opt/ST/STM32CubeCLT_1.15.1/STMicroelectronics_CMSIS_SVD/STM32H563.svd",
      "postAttachCommands": [
        "load",
        "thbreak HardFault_Handler"
      ]
    }
  ]
  }

  Logs 6-Embedded Logging.log.zip

Screenshots

Additional context seems like this might be related to https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-embedded-tools/issues/23 ?

[SeanMollet]

I'm getting this too. Have to start naming my threads a-z. :) Same system setup and versions as the original poster.

Some quick digging, it looks like cortex debug sees the CHAR *tx_thread_name in tx_api.h and treats it like a pointer to a single character. Which kind of makes sense, but it's a C-string and I can't believe cortex debug doesn't handle those.

[SeanMollet]

I remembered a similar issue I'd encountered before debugging C/C++ with vscode. If the GDB isn't built with python support, pretty printing can't be enabled. I believe pretty printing is required in order for GDB to parse the entirety of C-strings.

By default arm-none-eabi-gcc's gdb isn't built with python support.

I'm going to dig around, I've got another gdb somewhere here that supports it.

[SeanMollet]

Yep.. that was it. Tried with a multiarch-gdb and it worked. To fix it without having to build your own gdb, Install the arm-none-eabi-gdb from brew, overwrite the link from the one included with the arm cask and you'll be good to go.

https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/arm-none-eabi-gdb

[SeanMollet]

You can check if your gdb has python with this command: arm-none-eabi-gdb --ex "python import os" --batch 2>&1 | grep Python

If it prints nothing, you have python and it's working. Else, it will print an error.

[rokobertcm]

I'm check gdb with

arm-none-eabi-gdb --ex "python import os" --batch 2>&1 | grep Python

And got no error. But still only one char in thread name. I'm using MacOS 14.7 on MacBook Pro M3, VSCode 1.94.0 and Embedded Tools 0.8.0.

[SeanMollet]

@rokobertcm Make sure you're using that gdb. In launch.json:

        "gdbPath": "/opt/homebrew/bin/arm-none-eabi-gdb"

[rokobertcm]

Yes it works. My mistake. Thanks!

Best regards, Robert Konc