How to set gdb as debugger for the C/C++ extension pf VSCode on MacOS?

Question

the C/C++ Extension of Microsoft for VSCode allows to set a launch.json file with which you can set how to debug and run your C++ code. By default it has lldb as debugger for MacOS.

I wonder how to set gdb as debugger instead of lldb.

I tried and it shows me:

Unable to start debugging. GDB exited unexpectedly with exit code 134 (0x86).

This is how my launch.json file looks like:

 { "version": "0.2.0", "configurations": [ { "name": "g++-9 - Build and debug active file", "type": "cppdbg", "request": "launch", "program": "${fileDirname}/${fileBasenameNoExtension}", "args": [], "stopAtEntry": false, "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}", "environment": [], "externalConsole": true, "osx": { "miDebuggerPath": "/usr/local/bin/gdb", "MIMode": "gdb" }, "preLaunchTask": "C/C++: g++-9 build active file" } ] }

Answer 1

Make sure you have gdb installed. For that you can use:

brew install gdb

Then make the gdb binary is certified. Because:

... modern Darwin kernels restrict the capability to assume control over another process (here, for the purpose of debugging it), since that capability is a boon to malware. In order for said taskgated to grant access to gdb, the latter must be fitted with entitlements, which consist of digitally-signed metadata inside the gdb binary.

From: https://sourceware.org/gdb/wiki/PermissionsDarwin

To create a certification follow these instructions: https://sourceware.org/gdb/wiki/PermissionsDarwin

After doing so, certify the binary as instructed here .

Then try this for launch.json :

{
    // Use IntelliSense to learn about possible attributes.
    // Hover to view descriptions of existing attributes.
    // For more information, visit: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=830387
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "g++ - Build and debug active file",
            "type": "cppdbg",
            "request": "launch",
            "program": "${fileDirname}/${fileBasenameNoExtension}",
            "args": [],
            "stopAtEntry": false,
            "cwd": "${fileDirname}",
            "environment": [],
            "externalConsole": false,
            "MIMode": "gdb",
            "preLaunchTask": "C/C++: g++ build active file"
        }
    ]
 }