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DOSBox Debugger is a special version of DOSBox that includes built-in debugging tools., Summaries of Computer Science

Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of TechnologyComputer Science

DOSBox Debugger is a special version of DOSBox that includes built-in debugging tools. It’s particularly useful for developers, reverse engineers, and anyone working with older software that requires detailed inspection of how programs execute at a low level, such as assembly language.

Typology: Summaries

2023/2024

Uploaded on 09/05/2024

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Name : Sumit Raghunath Rathod
UID : 2023800094
Branch : CSE DIV : B Batch : B
What is DOSBOX DEBUGGER?
In DOSBox, a debugger is a tool that allows you to monitor and
manipulate the execution of programs running within the DOSBox
environment. It's particularly useful for developers, reverse
engineers, and anyone working with old DOS software, including
games, to diagnose and fix problems or understand how the software
works at a low level.
Key Features of the DOSBox Debugger:
1. Breakpoints : You can set breakpoints to pause the execution of a program
at a specific point. This allows you to inspect the current state of the CPU,
memory, and other aspects of the system.
2. Step Execution : You can step through the code one instruction at a time,
which is useful for closely examining the behavior of the program.
3. Memory Inspection : The debugger allows you to view and modify the
contents of memory at specific addresses. This is useful for checking how
variables are stored and manipulated by the program.
4. Register Inspection : You can examine the contents of the CPU registers
(e.g., AX, BX, CX) at any point during execution. This helps in understanding the
flow of data through the program.
5. Disassembly: The debugger can display the machine code of the program
as assembly language, which can be crucial for reverse engineering or
understanding how a program operates.
6. Logging : The debugger can output detailed logs of the program's
execution, which can be reviewed later to understand the sequence of events
that led to an issue.
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Name : Sumit Raghunath Rathod

UID : 2023800094

Branch : CSE DIV : B Batch : B

What is DOSBOX DEBUGGER? In DOSBox, a debugger is a tool that allows you to monitor and manipulate the execution of programs running within the DOSBox environment. It's particularly useful for developers, reverse engineers, and anyone working with old DOS software, including games, to diagnose and fix problems or understand how the software works at a low level. Key Features of the DOSBox Debugger:

  1. Breakpoints : You can set breakpoints to pause the execution of a program at a specific point. This allows you to inspect the current state of the CPU, memory, and other aspects of the system.
  2. Step Execution : You can step through the code one instruction at a time, which is useful for closely examining the behavior of the program.
  3. Memory Inspection : The debugger allows you to view and modify the contents of memory at specific addresses. This is useful for checking how variables are stored and manipulated by the program.
  4. Register Inspection : You can examine the contents of the CPU registers (e.g., AX, BX, CX) at any point during execution. This helps in understanding the flow of data through the program.
  5. Disassembly: The debugger can display the machine code of the program as assembly language, which can be crucial for reverse engineering or understanding how a program operates.
  6. Logging : The debugger can output detailed logs of the program's execution, which can be reviewed later to understand the sequence of events that led to an issue.

How to Enable the Debugger in DOSBox: To use the debugger, we need to start DOSBox with a specific command-line option, as the debugger isn't enabled by default in the standard DOSBox build.

  1. Download a Debugger-Enabled Version: We need a version of DOSBox that includes the debugger. Some builds of DOSBox, like DOSBox Debug or DOSBox Staging, have the debugger included.
  2. Starting DOSBox with Debugger:
    • Open a command prompt or terminal.
  • Run DOSBox with the -debug flag.
  1. Using the Debugger:
    • Once in DOSBox, you can enter debugger commands directly. For example:
      • BP [address]: Set a breakpoint at a specific memory address.
      • SI: Step through the next instruction.
  2. Exiting the Debugger:
    • You can resume normal execution of the program by exiting the debugger mode, typically by pressing a key like F5 or entering a specific command like G for "go." Use Cases:
  3. Program Debugging : Diagnose issues in software development for DOS programs, especially in assembly language or low-level programming.
  4. Reverse Engineering : Understand how old software works, which can be useful for compatibility projects, modding, or educational purposes.
  1. T [address] [size] : Traces memory access, logging each read or write operation at the specified address range.
  2. W [address] : Watches a memory address, and execution will break if the memory is written to. Flow Control Commands:
  3. CALL [address] : Calls a subroutine at the specified address. Similar to a "jump" but retains the current location on the stack so that execution can return after the subroutine.
  4. RET : Returns from the current subroutine. This pops the last address from the stack and resumes execution there. Breakpoint and Watchpoint Management:
  5. BL : Lists all active breakpoints and watchpoints, showing their addresses and statuses.
  6. WB [address] : Sets a watchpoint to break when a specific memory address is written to.
  7. RW [address] : Sets a watchpoint to break when a specific memory address is read from. Miscellaneous Commands:
  8. LOG [file] : Starts logging the output of the debugger to a specified file.
  9. EXIT : Exits the debugger and resumes normal DOSBox operation. These commands give control over the execution of DOS programs in DOSBox, allowing for detailed inspection and manipulation of the software’s behaviour.