probe-rs gdb server -> cortex-debug (with defmt/rtt), no rtt output

[mfp20]

Describe the bug

I'm not sure it is a bug. There's no RTT output option in VSCode OUTPUT window.

I also had to override the launch commands as in this other issue but in this way I can attach to a running firmware, but cannot upload the new firmware to the device before attaching, not in a single command/click.

To Reproduce

1. run probe-rs to hook the usb device to a gdb server stub probe-rs gdb --chip rp2040 --protocol swd --speed 20000
2. configure the RTT for defmt (ie: use the advanced decoder seen in other issues and convert from js to ts)
3. run the launch.json configuration shown in the pasted debug console output below

Expected behavior

When I run the same Debug-Cortex configuration with OpenOCD instead of probe-rs, I've an RTT output to select in order to see the defmt messages in the running code. It should pop up for this probe-rs based configuration as well, as the rttConfig configuration block is pasted from the other openocd-based configuration and the js script is exactly the same file used by the openocd-based configuration.

Environment (please complete the following information):

• Cortex-Debug 1.12.1 git(652d042)
• Windows 11
• GNU gdb (Arm GNU Toolchain 14.2.Rel1 (Build arm-14.52)) 15.2.90.20241130-git

Attach text from Debug Console

Cortex-Debug: VSCode debugger extension version 1.12.1 git(652d042). Usage info: https://github.com/Marus/cortex-debug#usage
"configuration": {
    "type": "cortex-debug",
    "request": "launch",
    "name": "Cortex-Debug with probe-rs",
    "showDevDebugOutput": "raw",
    "cwd": "C:\\Users\\user\\dev\\repo-pico-rust\\knurling-app-template",
    "executable": "C:/Users/user/dev/repo-pico-rust/knurling-app-template/target/thumbv6m-none-eabi/debug/count",
    "servertype": "external",
    "gdbTarget": "[::1]:1337",
    "overrideLaunchCommands": [
        "interpreter-exec console \"monitor reset halt\"",
        "-enable-pretty-printing"
    ],
    "rttConfig": {
        "enabled": true,
        "address": "auto",
        "clearSearch": false,
        "decoders": [
            {
                "type": "advanced",
                "decoder": "C:\\Users\\user\\dev\\repo-pico-rust\\knurling-app-template/.vscode/rtt-defmt.js",
                "config": {
                    "executable": "C:\\Users\\user\\dev\\repo-pico-rust\\knurling-app-template/target/thumbv6m-none-eabi/debug/count"
                },
                "label": "RTT",
                "port": 0,
                "ports": [
                    0
                ]
            }
        ]
    },
    "__configurationTarget": 6,
    "gdbServerConsolePort": 55878,
    "pvtAvoidPorts": [],
    "chainedConfigurations": {
        "enabled": false
    },
    "debuggerArgs": [],
    "swoConfig": {
        "enabled": false,
        "decoders": [],
        "cpuFrequency": 0,
        "swoFrequency": 0,
        "source": "probe"
    },
    "graphConfig": [],
    "preLaunchCommands": [],
    "postLaunchCommands": [],
    "preAttachCommands": [],
    "postAttachCommands": [],
    "preRestartCommands": [],
    "postRestartCommands": [],
    "preResetCommands": [],
    "postResetCommands": [],
    "toolchainPath": "C:\\Users\\user\\dev\\repo-pico-rust\\arm-gnu-toolchain-14.2.rel1-mingw-w64-x86_64-arm-none-eabi\\bin",
    "toolchainPrefix": "arm-none-eabi",
    "gdbPath": "C:\\Users\\user\\dev\\repo-pico-rust\\arm-gnu-toolchain-14.2.rel1-mingw-w64-x86_64-arm-none-eabi\\bin\\arm-none-eabi-gdb.exe",
    "extensionPath": "c:/Users/user/.vscode/extensions/marus25.cortex-debug-1.12.1",
    "registerUseNaturalFormat": true,
    "variableUseNaturalFormat": true,
    "pvtVersion": "1.12.1",
    "__sessionId": "0dea14ec-38d1-4f7d-a520-cbe6dff3b039",
    "pvtShowDevDebugOutput": "raw"
}
Reading symbols from C:/Users/user/dev/repo-pico-rust/arm-gnu-toolchain-14.2.rel1-mingw-w64-x86_64-arm-none-eabi/bin/arm-none-eabi-objdump.exe --syms -C -h -w C:/Users/user/dev/repo-pico-rust/knurling-app-template/target/thumbv6m-none-eabi/debug/count
Reading symbols from c:/users/user/dev/repo-pico-rust/arm-gnu-toolchain-14.2.rel1-mingw-w64-x86_64-arm-none-eabi/bin/arm-none-eabi-nm.exe --defined-only -S -l -C -p C:/Users/user/dev/repo-pico-rust/knurling-app-template/target/thumbv6m-none-eabi/debug/count
Launching GDB: "C:\\Users\\user\\dev\\repo-pico-rust\\arm-gnu-toolchain-14.2.rel1-mingw-w64-x86_64-arm-none-eabi\\bin\\arm-none-eabi-gdb.exe" -q --interpreter=mi2
1-gdb-version
Finished reading symbols from objdump: Time: 14 ms
-> =thread-group-added,id="i1"
-> ~"GNU gdb (Arm GNU Toolchain 14.2.Rel1 (Build arm-14.52)) 15.2.90.20241130-git\n"
-> ~"Copyright (C) 2024 Free Software Foundation, Inc.\n"
-> ~"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."
-> ~"\nType \"show copying\" and \"show warranty\" for details.\n"
-> ~"This GDB was configured as \"--host=x86_64-w64-mingw32 --target=arm-none-eabi\".\n"
-> ~"Type \"show configuration\" for configuration details.\n"
-> ~"For bug reporting instructions, please see:\n"
-> ~"<https://bugs.linaro.org/>.\n"
-> ~"Find the GDB manual and other documentation resources online at:\n    <"
-> ~"http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/documentation/>.\n\n"
-> ~"For help, type \"help\".\n"
-> ~"Type \"apropos word\" to search for commands related to \"word\".\n"
-> 1^done
2-gdb-set mi-async on
-> 2^done
3-interpreter-exec console "set print demangle on"
Finished reading symbols from nm: Time: 38 ms
-> 3^done
4-interpreter-exec console "set print asm-demangle on"
-> =cmd-param-changed,param="print asm-demangle",value="on"
-> 4^done
5-enable-pretty-printing
-> 5^done
6-interpreter-exec console "source c:/Users/user/.vscode/extensions/marus25.cortex-debug-1.12.1/support/gdbsupport.init"
-> 6^done
7-interpreter-exec console "source c:/Users/user/.vscode/extensions/marus25.cortex-debug-1.12.1/support/gdb-swo.init"
-> =cmd-param-changed,param="language",value="c"
-> =cmd-param-changed,param="language",value="auto"
-> 7^done
8-interpreter-exec console "set output-radix 0xa"
-> ~"Output radix now set to decimal 10, hex a, octal 12.\n"
Output radix now set to decimal 10, hex a, octal 12.
-> 8^done
9-interpreter-exec console "set input-radix 0xa"
-> ~"Input radix now set to decimal 10, hex a, octal 12.\n"
Input radix now set to decimal 10, hex a, octal 12.
-> 9^done
10-file-exec-and-symbols "C:/Users/user/dev/repo-pico-rust/knurling-app-template/target/thumbv6m-none-eabi/debug/count"
-> 10^done
11-target-select extended-remote [::1]:1337
-> =thread-group-started,id="i1",pid="1"
-> =thread-created,id="1",group-id="i1"
-> =thread-created,id="2",group-id="i1"
-> ~"0x000000ee in ?? ()\n"
0x000000ee in ?? ()
-> *stopped,frame={addr="0x000000ee",func="??",args=[],arch="armv6s-m"},thread-id="1",stopped-threads="all"
mi2.status = stopped
Program stopped, probably due to a reset and/or halt issued by debugger
-> &"warning: could not convert 'main' from the host encoding (CP1252) to UTF-32.\nThis normally should not happen, please file a bug report."
warning: could not convert 'main' from the host encoding (CP1252) to UTF-32.
This normally should not happen, please file a bug report.
-> &"\n"

-> 11^connected
12-interpreter-exec console "interpreter-exec console \"monitor reset halt\""
-> @"Resetting and halting target\n"
Resetting and halting target
-> @"Target halted\n"
Target halted
-> 12^done
13-enable-pretty-printing
-> 13^done
14-break-insert "c:\\Users\\user\\dev\\repo-pico-rust\\knurling-app-template\\src\\bin\\count.rs:42"
-> ~"Note: automatically using hardware breakpoints for read-only addresses.\n"
Note: automatically using hardware breakpoints for read-only addresses.
-> 14^done,bkpt={number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",addr="0x1000038e",func="count::__cortex_m_rt_main",file="src\\bin/count.rs",fullname="C:\\Users\\user\\dev\\repo-pico-rust\\knurling-app-template\\src\\bin\\count.rs",line="42",thread-groups=["i1"],times="0",original-location="c:\\Users\\user\\dev\\repo-pico-rust\\knurling-app-template\\src\\bin\\count.rs:42"}
Returning dummy thread-id to workaround VSCode issue with pause button not working
Returning dummy stack frame to workaround VSCode issue with pause button not working: {"threadId":1,"startFrame":0,"levels":20}
15-exec-continue --all
-> 15^running
-> *running,thread-id="all"
mi2.status = running
-> =breakpoint-modified,bkpt={number="1",type="breakpoint",disp="keep",enabled="y",addr="0x1000038e",func="count::__cortex_m_rt_main",file="src\\bin/count.rs",fullname="C:\\Users\\user\\dev\\repo-pico-rust\\knurling-app-template\\src\\bin\\count.rs",line="42",thread-groups=["i1"],times="1",original-location="c:\\Users\\user\\dev\\repo-pico-rust\\knurling-app-template\\src\\bin\\count.rs:42"}
-> ~"\n"

-> ~"Thread 1 hit Breakpoint 1, count::__cortex_m_rt_main () at src\\bin/count.rs:42\n"
Thread 1 hit Breakpoint 1, count::__cortex_m_rt_main () at src\bin/count.rs:42
-> ~"42\t        defmt::println!(\"{}\", count);\n"
42	        defmt::println!("{}", count);
-> *stopped,reason="breakpoint-hit",disp="keep",bkptno="1",frame={addr="0x1000038e",func="count::__cortex_m_rt_main",args=[],file="src\\bin/count.rs",fullname="C:\\Users\\user\\dev\\repo-pico-rust\\knurling-app-template\\src\\bin\\count.rs",line="42",arch="armv6s-m"},thread-id="1",stopped-threads="all"
mi2.status = stopped
16-thread-list-ids
-> 16^done,thread-ids={thread-id="1",thread-id="2"},current-thread-id="1",number-of-threads="2"
17-thread-info 1
-> 17^done,threads=[{id="1",target-id="Thread 1.1",details="core0",frame={level="0",addr="0x1000038e",func="count::__cortex_m_rt_main",args=[],file="src\\bin/count.rs",fullname="C:\\Users\\user\\dev\\repo-pico-rust\\knurling-app-template\\src\\bin\\count.rs",line="42",arch="armv6s-m"},state="stopped"}]
18-thread-info 2
-> 18^done,threads=[{id="2",target-id="Thread 1.2",details="core1",frame={level="0",addr="0x00000178",func="??",args=[],arch="armv6s-m"},state="stopped"}]
19-stack-list-frames --thread 1 0 19
-> 19^done,stack=[frame={level="0",addr="0x1000038e",func="count::__cortex_m_rt_main",file="src\\bin/count.rs",fullname="C:\\Users\\user\\dev\\repo-pico-rust\\knurling-app-template\\src\\bin\\count.rs",line="42",arch="armv6s-m"},frame={level="1",addr="0x100002d8",func="count::__cortex_m_rt_main_trampoline",file="src\\bin/count.rs",fullname="C:\\Users\\user\\dev\\repo-pico-rust\\knurling-app-template\\src\\bin\\count.rs",line="10",arch="armv6s-m"}]
20-stack-info-frame --thread 1 --frame 0
-> 20^done,frame={level="0",addr="0x1000038e",func="count::__cortex_m_rt_main",file="src\\bin/count.rs",fullname="C:\\Users\\user\\dev\\repo-pico-rust\\knurling-app-template\\src\\bin\\count.rs",line="42",arch="armv6s-m"}
21-stack-list-variables --thread 1 --frame 0 --simple-values
-> 21^done,variables=[{name="arg0",type="*mut i32",value="0x2003fb70"},{name="count",type="i32",value="0"},{name="delay",type="cortex_m::delay::Delay"},{name="clocks",type="rp2040_hal::clocks::ClocksManager"},{name="wd",type="rp2040_hal::watchdog::Watchdog"}]
22-var-create --thread 1 --frame 0 var_arg0_4096 @ "arg0"
-> 22^done,name="var_arg0_4096",numchild="1",value="0x2003fb70",type="*mut i32",has_more="0"
23-var-create --thread 1 --frame 0 var_count_4096 @ "count"
-> 23^done,name="var_count_4096",numchild="0",value="0",type="i32",has_more="0"
24-var-create --thread 1 --frame 0 var_delay_4096 @ "delay"
-> 24^done,name="var_delay_4096",numchild="2",value="{...}",type="cortex_m::delay::Delay",has_more="0"
25-var-create --thread 1 --frame 0 var_clocks_4096 @ "clocks"
-> 25^done,name="var_clocks_4096",numchild="11",value="{...}",type="rp2040_hal::clocks::ClocksManager",has_more="0"
26-var-create --thread 1 --frame 0 var_wd_4096 @ "wd"
-> 26^done,name="var_wd_4096",numchild="2",value="{...}",type="rp2040_hal::watchdog::Watchdog",has_more="0"

Additional context

Everything else seems to work: I can see 2 call stacks, one per core, and I can set breakpoints and see the execution to stop at the given point. I didn't test much but it seems fine. I'm more worried about having a smooth workflow.

[haneefdm]

I don't see any mention of RTT is your "other issue". #506 (comment)

Server types "servertype": "external" do not get the benefit of RTT. External types have very limited (generic) functionality as we don't know what language it speaks. Not all gdb-servers behave the same.

I am confused as to what probe-rs is. It is a debugger like cortex-debug or is it a gdb-server like openocd. The following says it is a replacement for cortex-debug

https://probe.rs/docs/tools/debugger/

If they also have an openocd replacement, perhaps they should volunteer to add support for it in cortex-debug...and then you can stop using the external method. Have you asked them?

I am a single developer (not a team), so unless there are volunteers ...this is the best I can do.