debug an embedded system containing gdb remotely using some kind of gui

Question

I would like to debug an embedded system containing gdb remotely using some kind of gui (ie like ddd). The embedded system does not have the sources or build symbols. However my local x windows box has. However the execution must happen on the embedded system. How can I from my development box drive gdb remotely with some gui ?

leds and jtag are not an option.

Answer 1

I think, gdbserver could help you.

Answer 2

On Remote target:

target> gdbserver localhost:1234 <application>

On Host (build machine):

host> gdb <application>

Note that the on target may be stripped off from the symbols. But host may have all the symbols.

gdb> set <path-to-libs-search>
gdb> target remote <target-ip>:1234
gdb> break main
gdb> cont

If this works, get some GDB gui on the host machine and try to replicate the same settings. (I have used SlickEdit and eclipse for this purpose).