Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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How do I use GDB?

You can find a good HOWTO here and another tutorial here.

How about a DDD tutorial?

That's almost too easy. Try the GDB tutorial and if you decide that you really don't like using the command line, then do the same thing in DDD using all of the pushbuttons instead. Note: DDD is really just a graphical encapsulation of GDB.

I deeply regret that I have to miss lecture... WHAT SHOULD I DO???

Please read the syllabus.

How do I set up UNIX command-line editing?

The typical way to do this is to either invoke the 'bash' shell or to change the default login shell with the 'chsh' command. The shell to use is named "/bin/bash". Ask your TA for help.

I have to type './hw1_test' instead of just 'hw1_test'. Why?

Your UNIX account has a default list of directories that it searches for commands. For instance, you'll find most of the executables for the commands you typically type in the /usr/bin directory. This list is called the search path. You need to add the present directory to the end of that path. Do so by adding an entry to the .bashrc file in your home directory:

$ export PATH=$PATH:.

If you do not have a .bashrc file, you can just create one and add only that line to it. Ask a TA for help.

I am only pretending to be a computer scientist, so I still haven't upgraded my personal computer to Linux. Can I still get GCC for my system?

Modern windows now comes with the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). GCC is also free and available on many platforms. You might read about Cygwin here or simply install it on your computer by clicking this link.

I don't want to install GCC. How can I get an X-window interface for my machine?

There's a great X-window server available with the Cygwin system described previoiusly. Read about how to install it.

Yes, I realize it would be so much easier to just use Linux, but suppose I want to get a secure shell client for the operating system I have now?

You might try PuTTY or TeraTerm.

Could you tell me which days the quizzes will be given so I know when I can skip class?

The quizzes are given randomly. No one ever knows when they will be.

The grading program went through my code and counted up to 60 points but then had a segmentation fault. Why did it give me a zero?

If your program does not properly terminate, we consider that to be worth zero points.