2023-03-08

The lDebug release 5 is imminent. Update: The release is done, grab packages at https://pushbx.org/ecm/download/ldebug/ or the source at https://hg.pushbx.org/ecm/ldebug/rev/release5

It brings several new features:

• Support for 40-column displays in the R, U, D, and E commands
• Expression types
• The QA and QB and QC and QD commands
• RC buffer commands
• The RVP and RVD commands
• The device driver mode
• The conditionally debuggable lCDebug build option
• Dual code segments build option
• Sharing serial IRQs
• The TAKEN and NOTTAKEN keywords
• Debugger exception areas and AMIS private function 33h
• The CLR operator
• Variables to control the default length of U and D commands
• INSTALL and UNINSTALL commands
• Descriptor modification commands
• Query patch support for bootloaded mode
• MMX support commands fixed
• IF EXISTS R variable THEN command

It also has a number of bugfixes, including:

• lDebugX in PM handles 32-bit offsets correctly more often, detects use of 32-bit offsets from limits > FFFFh
• Use of the scratch selector works in some cases where it would have failed
• R write memory variable command doesn't crash for values ending in FFFFh anymore
• A range parameter can be ended by a semicolon comment indicator
• Interrupt 19h call while in application mode now sets up registers to terminate the process on the next trace step
• Current PSP is read and written using the SDA even in PM
• Empty binaries now cause an error even if the DOS incorrectly handles them (FreeDOS kernel bug)
• No longer crash in init if there's no UMCB but int 21.5803 is supported
• Do not crash in init if int 2Fh is not initialised
• WHILE condition not checked if pass or non-pass permanent breakpoint runs
• The ldebug.txt file is now converted to CR LF line endings immediately after Halibut has created it
• Command line tail in PSP also set up for loading .BIN files
• Empty /C switch does not cause an error
• Terminate properly on reaching the end of a stdin file
• AAM and AAD do not display an operand in disassembly if it would be 0A
• RC buffer execution is aborted by a Control-C
• XMS Protected Mode entrypoint is no longer used by default
• r f . works
• Bootloaded sector read that crosses a 64 KiB DMA boundary copies correct amount of data from transfer buffer
• u(bootldpunit).(bootldppart) works even if LDP is a diskette file system
• Serial IRQ handler passes on call if its IRQ isn't set in the In-Service Register of the PIC
• RC command line parsing skips leading blanks
• Double slash without subsequent command line allowed for BOOT PROTOCOL command
• E and A commands in PM display original selector even if actually writing through the debugger's scratch selector
• C command never uses debugger's scratch selector (and does not display it either)
• Do not fault if scratch selector got a low limit in some way
• BOOT PROTOCOL command always allows use of ENTRY and BPB parameters
• Allow all address specifications for M command
• Disassemble mov with segreg and memory operand as always m16
• Allow operators between ?? and :: in H command
• Allow single-digit interrupt number for RIxxy variables
• Disabling string instruction simulation now assumes count as 1 for the access variables
• Operand size prefix disassembled as part of a push or pop with segreg
• Do not simulate string instruction on U command
• lDebugX preserves scratch selector across getexpression calls
• lDebugX TSR command works in PM
• Set sleep delta limit to 5 to work around idle function needing more than 1 timer tick
• Allow bootloaded debugger to access small FAT32 file systems (below 64 Ki clusters)
• Q or QA could fail due to corrupting the client stack in the PM interrupt 21h handler
• Access variables for int instructions select size based on mode, ignore operand-size of the instruction
• Fix S command error if search mask is longer than search area
• Support EXECUTING keyword on non-386 machines
• Allow access to VD variable using R command
• Creating a process resets the DTA
• Bootloaded init relocation could corrupt part of the debugger in an unlikely case
• RM command and MMxy register reads work