Saving core file in gdb

Question

Is it possible to save/dump core file using gdb? Sometimes I want to save file to analyze it later.

Plato

Answer 1

Issue the 'generate-core-file' command in gdb.

(gdb) help generate-core-file
Save a core file with the current state of the debugged process.
Argument is optional filename.  Default filename is 'core.<process_id>'.
(gdb) break main
Breakpoint 1 at 0x400e0b: file utils/udec.c, line 36.
(gdb) r
Starting program: /home/nos/build/utils/udec

Breakpoint 1, main (argc=1, argv=0x7fffffffe9a8) at utils/udec.c:36
36              int fileargc = 1;
(gdb) generate-core-file
Saved corefile core.7336

Crippling

It will be saved in GDB's current working directory, which can be seen via the pwd command. If you need to change it, you can do so with cd, just like at a shell. – Toxic

@Jonathon_Reinhart pass core-file path as generate-core-file first argument if you want to save it in certain place – Fradin

Answer 2

You can also use gcore <pid> to produce cores.

Diez

this should be in comment part – Mcbride

Please have a look to this page stackoverflow.com/help/privileges/comment : When shouldn't I comment?...."Answering a question or providing an alternate solution to an existing answer;" – Diez

Looks like gcore is only supported in newer gdb versions. Old ones require generate-core-file. – Killy

This appears to be a short name for generate-core-file, both doing the same thing. – Ferguson

gcore is also a binary, not only a gdb command. – Clavicytherium