In Unix, what is ups, and how can I use it?
In Unix, ups is a debugger with a graphical
interface used on X Window System programs. You can use
it to run a program or to debug a dead program from its core file
(if one was left). It is also useful for tracing through a running
program to find where an error is occurring.
The first step in using any debugger is to make sure the source code
is compiled with debugging information (often obtained via a
-g flag). For example, to compile foo.c
with symbol tables, at the Unix prompt, enter:
cc -g -o foo foo.c
To start the ups program with the file foo,
at the Unix prompt, enter:
ups foo
ups is menu driven. To run the program, select the
start option. It
will run until there is an error. It will provide all of the X Window
System output the program normally would, allowing you to see the program and
interact with it.
You can use the menus to step through the program as it is running and
show what is happening. You can also use the expand command
to show
all of the calls to a procedure and find where an error exists.
For information on the other features in ups, see the
man pages. At the Unix prompt, enter:
man ups
At Indiana University, for personal or departmental Linux or Unix systems support, see At IU, how do I get support for Linux or Unix?
Last modified on May 13, 2009.







