natvis4gdb

natvis4gdb is a single script natvis implementation for GDB debugger.

Natvis Documentation: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/debugger/create-custom-views-of-native-objects?view=vs-2015#BKMK_Using_Natvis_files

Supported features

• <Type> element with partial matching of template types.
• <DisplayString> with optional Condition attribute and expression evaluation within {}.
• Access to template parameters inside expressions through $T1..N variable.
• Format specifiers for expression evaluation:
  • sb
  • d
• <ArrayItems><Size/><ValuePointer/></ArrayItems> elements.

Features unsupported at this time will be silently ignored by the script.

Usage

Enable script by editing ~/.gdbinit and add following:

python
sys.path.insert(0, '/path/to/natvis4gdb')
import natvis4gdb
natvis4gdb.register()
end

Load natvis files by executing command add-natvis /path/to/your.natvis

Debugging

1. Modify your ~/.gdbinit file and add following

python
sys.path.insert(0, '/path/to/natvis4gdb')
sys.path.insert(0, os.getenv('HOME') + '/.local/lib/python3.7/site-packages')
import natvis4gdb
natvis4gdb.register(True)
end

2. Also install required python library like pip install --user pydevd-pycharm.
3. Create Python Remote Debug configuration in PyCharm and set it to connect to port 41879.
4. Start remote debugging session in PyCharm.
5. Run C++ application that will be inspecting some variables.
6. Inspect some variables in your C++ application and breakpoints in PyCharm should trigger.

Parts and ideas salvaged from https://github.com/asarium/gdb-natvis