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Command Directory

step

Restart Execution and Break at the Next Hook

ABBREVIATION

s{tep}

step [INTEGER]

DESCRIPTION

The step command resumes program execution and breaks at the next hook, which may be any of the following:

line-number hook: Some source lines, such as for statements, can have multiple hooks.
call to a function: The break occurs in the context of the calling function.
return to a function: The break occurs in the context of the calling function.
entry to a called function: The break occurs in the context of the called function.
return from a called function: The break occurs in the context of the called function.

INTEGER is a nonnegative integer (including 0). Use the INTEGER argument to specify the number of times you want the step command to be performed.

If you have issued step with an INTEGER argument and the debugger breaks before the step command is completed, you can issue it again with a different value of INTEGER to change the number of times step is performed. Suppose that the last step you issue is step 4, and then you reach a breakpoint after one step is performed. If you decide you only want the step to be performed once more, you can issue step 1 at the breakpoint. (The three pending steps are replaced by one step. The step command issued with 0 discards the three remaining steps.) However, if you want the three pending steps to be completed, you can issue a go command.

step: resumes program execution until the next hook is reached.
step 20: performs the step command 20 times.

SYSTEM DEPENDENCIES

The step command is not affected by changes in scope.

RETURN CODES SET

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