file (gdb mode only)

Syntax

file [filename]

Parameters

Description

This command loads an executable file to execute under debugger control.

This command reads the symbolic information for an executable file and the shared libraries it uses, if available. Objects compiled without debug information do not have symbols to load.

If you specify filename, the debugger loads the specified executable. Without a parameter, the debugger unloads the current executable file.

Example

(idb) file /home/user/examples/x_list
Reading symbols from /home/user/examples/x_list...done. 
(idb) info files
Symbols from "/home/user/examples/x_list". 
Unix child process: 
Using the running image of child process 19438. 
While running this, IDB does not access memory from... 
Local exec file: 
'/home/user/examples/x_list', file type <unknown> 
0x8048000 - 0x8056e40 is .text 
0x8057000 - 0x805deec is .data
0x805deec - 0x805dfb4 is .bss

Use the file command without any parameter to unload an executable file, as follows:

(idb) file
No executable file now. 
No symbol file now.