The dbx command language is based on the syntax of the Korn Shell (ksh 88), including I/O redirection, loops, built-in arithmetic, history, and command-line editing. This chapter lists the differences between ksh-88 and dbx command language.
If no dbx initialization file is located on startup, dbx assumes ksh mode.
This chapter is organized into the following sections:
The following features of ksh-88 are not implemented in dbx:
set --A name for assigning values to array name
set --o particular options: -allexport bgnice gmacs markdirs noclobber nolog privileged protected viraw
typeset --l --u --L --R --H attributes
backquote (``) for command substitution (use $(...) instead)
[ [ expr ] ] compound command for expression evaluation
@(pattern[|pattern] ) extended pattern matching
co-processes (command or pipeline running in the background that communicates with your program)
dbx adds the following features as extensions:
$[ p -> flags ] language expression
typeset --q enables special quoting for user-defined functions
csh-like history and alias arguments
-set +o path disables path searching
0xabcd C syntax for octal and hexadecimal numbers
bind to change Emacs-mode bindings
set --o hashall
set --o ignore suspend
print --e and read --e (opposite of --r, raw)
built-in dbx commands
Particular dbx commands have been renamed to avoid conflicts with ksh commands.
The dbx print command retains the name print; the ksh print command has been renamed kprint.
The ksh kill command has been merged with the dbx kill command.
The alias command is the ksh alias, unless in dbx compatibility mode.
addr/fmt is now examine addr/fmt.
/pattern is now search pattern, and ?pattern is now bsearch pattern.