Compiling with Debugging Symbols

The first step in getting a program ready for debugging is to add your compiler's –g debugging command line option. This option tells your compiler to generate symbol table debugging information; for example:

cc -g -o executable-name source-file

Here are a couple of general considerations about compiling your code:

Compiler option	What it does	When to use it
Debugging symbols option (usually –g)	Generates debugging information in the symbol table.	Before debugging any program with TotalView.
Optimization option (usually –O)	Rearranges code to optimize your program's execution. Some compilers let you use the –O option with the ‑g option, but we advise against doing this before using the debugger as unexpected results often occur.	After you finish debugging your program.

Compiler option

What it does

When to use it

Debugging symbols option (usually –g)

Generates debugging information in the symbol table.

Before debugging any program with TotalView.

Optimization option (usually –O)

Rearranges code to optimize your program's execution.

Some compilers let you use the –O option with the ‑g option, but we advise against doing this before using the debugger as unexpected results often occur.

After you finish debugging your program.

The following table lists the procedures to compile C/C++ programs on Linux platforms.

Compiler	Compiler Command Line
GCC C	gcc -g source.c
GCC C++	g++ -g source.cxx
clang C	clang -g source.c
clang C++	clang++ -gsource.cxx
Oracle Studio C	cc -g source.c
Oracle Studio C++	CC -g source.cxx
Intel C++ Compiler	icc -g source.cxx
PGI CC	pgcc -g source.c
PGI C++	pgc++ -gsource.cxx

The following table lists the procedures to compile Fortran programs on Linux platforms.

Compiler	Compiler Command Line
Absoft Fortran 77	f77 -g program .f f77 -g program.for
Absoft Fortran 90	f90 -g program.f90
Absoft Fortran 95	f95 -g program.f95
G77	g77 -g program.f
Intel Fortran Compiler	ifort -g program.f
Lahey/Fujitsu Fortran	lf95 -g program.f
PGI Fortran 77	pgf77 -g program.f
PGI Fortran 90	pgf90 -g program.f

The following table lists the procedures to compile programs on ARM64 platforms.

Compiler	Compiler Command Line
GCC C	gcc -g program.c
GCC C++	g++ -g program.cxx
G77	g77 -g program.f

The following table lists the procedures to compile programs on Mac OS platforms.

Compiler	Compiler Command Line
Absoft Fortran 77	f77 -gprogram .f f77 -gprogram.for
Absoft Fortran 90	f90 -gprogram.f90
Absoft Fortran 95	f95 -g program.f95
GCC C	gcc -g program.c
GCC C++	g++ -gprogram.cxx
GCC Fortran	gfortran -gprogram.f
clang C	clang -g source.c
clang C++	clang++ -gsource.cxx
Intel C++ Compiler	icc -g source.cxx
Intel Fortran Compiler	ifort -g program.f