HP gnu source-level debugger 5992-4701 manual Choosing files, Files

All options and command-line arguments you give are processed in sequential order. The order makes a difference when the `-x' option is used.

2.1.1 Choosing files

When GDB starts, it reads any arguments other than options as specifying an executable file and core file (or process ID). This is the same as if the arguments were specified by the '-se' and '-c' options respectively. (GDB reads the first argument that does not have an associated option flag as equivalent to the '-se' option followed by that argument; and the second argument that does not have an associated option flag, if any, as equivalent to the '-c' option followed by that argument.)

If GDB has not been configured to included core file support, such as for most embedded targets, then it will complain about a second argument and ignore it.

Many options have both long and short forms; both are shown in the following list. GDB also recognizes the long forms if you truncate them, so long as enough of the option is present to be unambiguous. (If you prefer, you can flag option arguments with `--' rather than `-', though we illustrate the more usual convention.)

-symbols file -s file -exec file -e file

Read symbol table from file file.

Use file file as the executable file to execute when appropriate, and for examining pure data in conjunction with a core dump.

-se file	Read symbol table from file file and use it as the
	executable file.
-core file
-cfile	Use file file as a core dump to examine.
-cnumber	Connect to process ID number, as with the attach
	command (unless there is a file in core-dump format
	named number, in which case `-c' specifies that file as
	a core dump to read).
-command file
-xfile	Execute GDB commands from file file. See “Command
	files” (page 289).
-directory directory
-ddirectory	Add directory to the path to search for source files.

26 Getting In and Out of GDB