pcsx2/Docs/RemoteDebugging.txt

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ºNOTE: 1. this is an internal pcsx2 team document, for developers ONLYº
º      2. lamers/gamers are excluded                                  º
º      3. DECI2 will not run your games:P                             º
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RemoteDebugging
===============

This is a new feature available for debugging applications within pcsx2 emu.
 Using a remote debugger is not wellcomed unless it is more featured.
 Fortunately, there are such debuggers. Currently added support is for win32
 target only; also, only TCP/IP remote connection and only for Sony's DECI2
 app-level protocol. Future addition could be GNU debugger remote support.

Anyway, pcsx2 has a new menu item that allows one to start a debugging session
 by specifying the listen port [default for DECI2 is 8510]. Pcsx2 will act like
 a server for the remote debugger. It is set to accept connections on any IP.
 For local debugging sessions, use IP=127.0.0.1 aka IP=localhost. On the
 other hand, if a pcsx2 would be listening on an active IP in the Internet,
 anyone could connect to it;) Only one connection is supported. After the
 connection is closed by the client/remote tool, the only thing to do is to
 "admire" the log window and then close it/restart the emu.

So, to start a debug session:
 - first start the emu [quite reasonable; because it will be the server]. There
   are some issues if you start the client first or if you didn't close ALL the
   client subprograms in the last debugging session.
 - choose from the menu, Debug->Remote Debugging. A dialog will pop asking for
   the port to use. Also, if you have a non-HLE bios selected in the Config box,
   ie. a true bios, there will be also an option weather to debug the bios. You
   have 2 choices:
		-not checked=Run Bios
			before any debug is performed a bios run. ie. the emu
			will run the bios up to the shell loading or a bit
			further, to the moment when all the iop modules are
			loaded. You will have then a full environment loaded.
		-checked=Debug Bios
			nothing is done further and the PC=0xBFC00000.
 - after that a connection log window will be shown and you can follow the
   connection data exchange. First, the emu is placed in a wait state.
 - this is the moment you have to run the client. It will open the connection.
   The emu accepts the connection and the DECI2 protocol is on;)
   You'll see how the client queries for registers values & memory areas.
 - the situation gets complicated since you can do many things from now on:

Debug bios:
 - start with a bios selected and the check box checked (see above).
 - PC=0xBFC00000 and you can trace the bios now. Anyway, there is no breakpoints
   support for the bios as the client "thinks" you are debugging the real PS2,
   so you cannot write to bios area. BTW: the breakpoints are implemented by
   patching the code with a BREAK instruction. Since you cannot write such instr
   you cannot put a breakpoint on the bios, cannot run to address and so on...
Run bios:
 - start with a bios selected and the check box not checked (see above).
 - wait till the emu runs the bios...it will take some time. After THAT the
   connection log window will be displayed.
 - PC=0x82000 or smth like that...you can check the environment set up while
   running the bios. The modules window for instance. And various memory
   structures. Also, this is the entrypoint of the shell loading. Try to trace
   it;)
Debug an application:
 - start with HLEbios selected (see above)
 - since the debugger (the client) does debug whatever you want to. You can
   load the elf to debug with pcsx2 loader (ie. with File->Load ELF file or
   from the CDVD). But you will need to know the entrypoint to force it in
   remote debugger (set PC to cursor or to address). This way is not recomended.
   I like to use the loader of the debugger since it knows to load the source
   also if available and does not cause troubles with setting the PC. Also, if
   the ELF has symbols, it can run it to main;)
 - now, you're on your own. Use step by step, step over, breakpoints, run to
   cursor, run to address etc. HAPPY DEBUGGING!

KNOWN ISSUES and NOTES
======================
 - use CDVDnull or another plugin as you like to have or not a src for cdvd
   loading;)
 - pcsx2 does not have support to debug the IOP. You can do this now but it is
   a hard job. That is due to the fact that PS2 can run every processor
   independently (ie. one can be stopped) and pcsx2 cannot. The emu runs either
   all the procs or nothing. So, in the debugger, the debugged processor is on
   stop and others are "running". When there will be added support for debugging
   the IOP, also only one processor will run.
 - do not step through the program very fast. Because of the communication speed
   and a reentrancy issue, this will get the debugger in a FALSE run state. That
   means that the debugger "thinks" that the PS2 (ie. pcsx2;)) is running,
   although it is not. The simple solution to this is to press STOP/BREAK button
   in the debugger. Notice also that some run states might be also true! When
   you are stepping over a big loop...that might take some time, so if you stop
   the emu you will get in the middle of the loop:P
 - you can also notice the low speed that can also be met in the pcsx2 debugger.
   That's because Cpu->Step() is used.
 - also, notice that you cannot debug in recompiler mode! ONLY interpreter mode
   works!
 - IOP modules loading is not supported and the files loaded from host directory
   are also loaded in pcsx2 way, ie. from host\ directory; not through remote
   debugger.
 - if you try to debug the bios and the code is not displayed...scroll down
   in order to have only valid addresses on the screen; ie. the top address
   to be 0xBFC00000 and in emu communication log there will be no ADDRESS ERROR.


===============================
Florin (florinsasu@yahoo.com)
2003/04/17