Dealing with executable libraries

Subprojects LLDB
1

Hi,

I am wondering how to deal with binaries that are both executable and
dynamic objects, such as many executables under /usr/sbin.

When I try to attach to a process (e.g. apache2) using the method
lldb::SBTarget::AttachToProcessWithID() (C++ flavor of the LLDB
ScriptingBridge), the method ObjectFileELF::CalculateType() returns
eTypeSharedLibrary, which results in an error in my application.

The error object, which is given by
lldb::SBTarget::AttachToProcessWithID() has the Fail() flag set, but no
CString() with an actual cause. The lldb::SBProcess::IsValid() method
returns false.

Right now I am short circuiting CalculateType() by returning
eTypeExecutable when LLDB detects a dynamically linked object, but there
must be a less intrusive solution. Is there a way to force LLDB to
recognize such executables as "real" executables, without tampering LLDB
internals?

Thanks in advance!

Cheers,
Stefan

2

It would be ok to relax the test for eTypeExecutable to also allow eTypeSharedLibrary if, on many systems, it is possible to run a binary of type shared library as an executable. If it changes from system to system, then we could ask the platform (PlatformLinux if your case?) to verify if a binary can be an executable. So adding a virtual method to lldb_private::Platform:

namespace lldb_private
{
  class Platform
  {
      virtual bool
      IsValidExecutable (lldb_private::Module &module);
  };
}

The default could check for eTypeExecutable only and the PlatformLinux could check for eTypeExecutable or eTypeSharedLibrary...

Greg