remote debug issues, cannot launch debugger, parameter 'arch'

[duaneellissd]

Environment

Compile host and VSCODE host is a Linux server in another room.
Remote JTAG server is my laptop running OpenOCD.
Target is: Microsemi Polarfire RISCV soft cpu core.

All of this works standalone out side of VS CODE.
I know that process well - I use Emacs GUD Mode like this all the time.

Goal here is to use VSCODE instead.

Bug Summary and Steps to Reproduce

Just select RUN from the menu - does not connect and does not seem to pass target to GDB.

ISSUE #1 - why do I need to specify the REMOTE machine in the launch.json file? Normally i do this in the local .gdbinit file - and it works just fine. This is not a good idea.

ISSUE #2 - Why can I not get to the GDB command line prompt? This is a very important feature.

Steps: Choose RUN, and I get an error message (Popup) Unable to start debugging. The specified argument was out of range of valid values. ('arch')

Debugger Configurations

LAUNCH.JSON:
===========
{
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
            "cwd": "${workspaceRoot}",
            "program": "Build/debug.d/ls_supervisor.debug.elf",
                        "request" : "launch",
            "type": "cppdbg",

            "name": "debug-gdb-remote",

            "linux" : {

                "MIMode" : "gdb",
                "miDebuggerPath" : "/tools/Microchip/SoftConsole-v2022.2-RISC-V-747/riscv-unknown-elf-gcc/bin/riscv64-unknown-elf-gdb",
                "miDebuggerServerAddress" : "dellis2.company.local:3333",
                "stopAtConnect": true,
                "customLaunchSetupCommands": [
                        { "text" : "load", "description" : "Load image", "ignoreFailures": false }
                ]
             }
    ]
}

TASKS.JSON
==========
Please be more specific about this I have nothing in there other then simple items like:

{
    "version" : "2.0.0",
    "tasks" : [
        {
            "label": "make all",
            "command": "make",
            "args": [
                "all"
            ],
            "options": {
                "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}"
            },
            "problemMatcher": "$gcc",
            "group": {
                "kind": "build",
                "isDefault": false
            }
        },
        {
            "label": "REBUILD",
            "command": "bash",
            "args": [
                "./rebuild.sh"
            ],
            "options": {
                "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}"
            },
            "problemMatcher": "$gcc",
            "group": {
                "kind": "build",
                "isDefault": false
            },
        {
            "label": "make TARGET",
            "command": "make",
            "args": [
                "${input:TARGET}"
            ],
            "options": {
                "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}"
            },
            "problemMatcher": "$gcc",
            "group": {
                "kind": "build",
                "isDefault": false
            }
        }
    ],
    "inputs" : [
        {
            "id": "TARGET",
            "description" : "MAKE-TARGET:",
            "default" : "all",
            "type": "promptString"
        }
    ]
}

Debugger Logs

NOTE?HINT - the console window where this LOG appears should have a RIGHT_CLICK SAVE AS selection to save logs like this to a file. GRRR!!!!!
Log output is:

--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (71) LaunchOptions{\"logging\":{\"engineLogging\":true,\"trace\":true,\"traceResponse\":true},\"cwd\":\"/BULK/home/dellis/linux_libcore3\",\"program\":\"Build/debug.d/ls_supervisor.debug.elf\",\"request\":\"launch\",\"type\":\"cppdbg\",\"name\":\"debug-gdb-remote\",\"__configurationTarget\":6,\"MIMode\":\"gdb\",\"miDebuggerPath\":\"/tools/Microchip/SoftConsole-v2022.2-RISC-V-747/riscv-unknown-elf-gcc/bin/riscv64-unknown-elf-gdb\",\"miDebuggerServerAddress\":\"dellis2.company.local:3333\",\"stopAtConnect\":true,\"customLaunchSetupCommands\":[{\"text\":\"load\",\"description\":\"Load image\",\"ignoreFailures\":false}],\"__sessionId\":\"ed70c17d-8912-4800-9517-340ca8091f59\"}\n"},"seq":2}
1: (71) LaunchOptions{"logging":{"engineLogging":true,"trace":true,"traceResponse":true},"cwd":"/BULK/home/dellis/linux_libcore3","program":"Build/debug.d/ls_supervisor.debug.elf","request":"launch","type":"cppdbg","name":"debug-gdb-remote","__configurationTarget":6,"MIMode":"gdb","miDebuggerPath":"/tools/Microchip/SoftConsole-v2022.2-RISC-V-747/riscv-unknown-elf-gcc/bin/riscv64-unknown-elf-gdb","miDebuggerServerAddress":"dellis2.company.local:3333","stopAtConnect":true,"customLaunchSetupCommands":[{"text":"load","description":"Load image","ignoreFailures":false}],"__sessionId":"ed70c17d-8912-4800-9517-340ca8091f59"}
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (115) Starting: \"/tools/Microchip/SoftConsole-v2022.2-RISC-V-747/riscv-unknown-elf-gcc/bin/riscv64-unknown-elf-gdb\" --interpreter=mi\n"},"seq":4}
1: (115) Starting: "/tools/Microchip/SoftConsole-v2022.2-RISC-V-747/riscv-unknown-elf-gcc/bin/riscv64-unknown-elf-gdb" --interpreter=mi
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (133) ->=thread-group-added,id=\"i1\"\n"},"seq":6}
1: (133) ->=thread-group-added,id="i1"
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (134) ->~\"GNU gdb (xPack GNU RISC-V Embedded GCC (Microsemi SoftConsole build), 64-bit) 9.1\\n\"\n"},"seq":8}
1: (134) ->~"GNU gdb (xPack GNU RISC-V Embedded GCC (Microsemi SoftConsole build), 64-bit) 9.1\n"
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (134) ->~\"Copyright (C) 2020 Free Software Foundation, Inc.\\n\"\n"},"seq":10}
1: (134) ->~"Copyright (C) 2020 Free Software Foundation, Inc.\n"
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (135) ->~\"License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>\\nThis is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.\\nThere is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.\"\n"},"seq":12}
1: (135) ->~"License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>\nThis is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.\nThere is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law."
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (135) ->~\"\\nType \\\"show copying\\\" and \\\"show warranty\\\" for details.\\n\"\n"},"seq":14}
1: (135) ->~"\nType \"show copying\" and \"show warranty\" for details.\n"
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (135) ->~\"This GDB was configured as \\\"--host=x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu --target=riscv64-unknown-elf\\\".\\n\"\n"},"seq":16}
1: (135) ->~"This GDB was configured as \"--host=x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu --target=riscv64-unknown-elf\".\n"
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (135) ->~\"Type \\\"show configuration\\\" for configuration details.\\n\"\n"},"seq":18}
1: (135) ->~"Type \"show configuration\" for configuration details.\n"
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (135) ->~\"For bug reporting instructions, please see:\\n\"\n"},"seq":20}
1: (135) ->~"For bug reporting instructions, please see:\n"
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (135) ->~\"<https://github.com/sifive/freedom-tools/issues>.\\n\"\n"},"seq":22}
1: (135) ->~"<https://github.com/sifive/freedom-tools/issues>.\n"
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (135) ->~\"Find the GDB manual and other documentation resources online at:\\n    <http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/documentation/>.\"\n"},"seq":24}
1: (135) ->~"Find the GDB manual and other documentation resources online at:\n    <http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/documentation/>."
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (135) ->~\"\\n\\n\"\n"},"seq":26}
1: (135) ->~"\n\n"
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (135) ->~\"For help, type \\\"help\\\".\\n\"\n"},"seq":28}
1: (135) ->~"For help, type \"help\".\n"
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (135) ->~\"Type \\\"apropos word\\\" to search for commands related to \\\"word\\\".\\n\"\n"},"seq":30}
1: (135) ->~"Type \"apropos word\" to search for commands related to \"word\".\n"
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (135) ->=cmd-param-changed,param=\"auto-load safe-path\",value=\"/\"\n"},"seq":32}
1: (135) ->=cmd-param-changed,param="auto-load safe-path",value="/"
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (135) ->=cmd-param-changed,param=\"print pretty\",value=\"on\"\n"},"seq":34}
1: (135) ->=cmd-param-changed,param="print pretty",value="on"
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (135) ->(gdb)\n"},"seq":36}
1: (135) ->(gdb)
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (135) DebuggerPid=1669\n"},"seq":38}
1: (135) DebuggerPid=1669
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (150) <-1001-gdb-set mi-async on\n"},"seq":40}
1: (150) <-1001-gdb-set mi-async on
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (153) ->1001^done\n"},"seq":42}
1: (153) ->1001^done
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (153) ->(gdb)\n"},"seq":44}
1: (153) ->(gdb)
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (154) 1001: elapsed time 5\n"},"seq":46}
1: (154) 1001: elapsed time 5
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (165) Send Event AD7MessageEvent\n"},"seq":48}
1: (165) Send Event AD7MessageEvent
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (168) <--gdb-exit\n"},"seq":50}
1: (168) <--gdb-exit
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (169) <-logout\n"},"seq":52}
1: (169) <-logout
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (169) ->^exit\n"},"seq":54}
1: (169) ->^exit
--> E (output): {"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"telemetry","output":"VS/Diagnostics/Debugger/Launch","data":{"VS.Diagnostics.Debugger.ImplementationName":"Microsoft.MIDebugEngine","VS.Diagnostics.Debugger.EngineVersion":"17.4.30208.2","VS.Diagnostics.Debugger.HostVersion":"17.4.30208.2","VS.Diagnostics.Debugger.AdapterId":"cppdbg","VS.Diagnostics.Debugger.Launch.ErrorCode":1005,"VS.Diagnostics.Debugger.Launch.IsError":true}},"seq":56}
--> R (launch-2): {"type":"response","request_seq":2,"success":false,"command":"launch","message":"Unable to start debugging. Specified argument was out of the range of valid values. (Parameter 'arch')","body":{"error":{"id":1005,"format":"Unable to start debugging. Specified argument was out of the range of valid values. (Parameter 'arch')"}},"seq":58}

Other Extensions

make, C++ just Microsoft Extensions.

Additional Information

I'm very familiar with the remote debug features - been using this for years.
I'd like to set this up for my team to use but - this is utterly fustrating and hard to find things.

I'll admit - I am a NOOB for VSCODE, but I have been writing embedded code for +30 years
everything from IDEs to Makefiles, everything I do is cross compiled code.

There are a number of other issues that make this hard to use.
For example being able to launch other commands to do things like Power cycle our target board.
Or launch a SERIAL TERMINAL program in the background.

I filed other tickets... for those already.

While I might sound noisy and complainy - I will say I like what I see and beg you to continue.
You will end up with a fantastic solution which is greatly needed in this area. you are almost there now.

[WardenGnaw]

Thank you for reporting this issue. We’ll let you know if we need more information to investigate it.

[duaneellissd]

FYI - here is more information:

Sorry for the screen shot - but - I am using Remote Desktop to connect to my Linux Server where VSCODE runs
and it does not allow me to copy/paste text but I can copy/paste IMAGES.

Important points here:
a) The correct version of GDB is being launched for my RISCV target. (see the 1st line: xPack GNU RISCV...)

b) It does connect with the target, and stops and finds the source code, etc:
Evidenced by the line: 0x80000ef8 in dispatch_this_cmd(pCmd=0xd) ...

[github-actions]

This issue has been closed as lower priority. We're sorry if this issue still impacts you but unfortunately we're not able to address this. We will accept a pull request from the community if it's applicable for this issue.