Implementation of the blit debugger
Thomas A. Cargill · Software Practice and Experience · 1985
Abstract joff is an asynchronous, source‐level, break‐and‐examine debugger for C programs running on the Blit, a programmable bitmap terminal, joff is implemented as two processes: a small process running in the terminal and a larger process running in a time‐sharing host. The constraints on its design and a menu‐driven user interface combine to present an unusual set of implementation difficulties. The way the problems were tackled and the degree to which they were solved may be interesting to those designing other debuggers. Operating system designers should assess the merits of a debugger that runs asynchronously with its subject and consider providing the necessary support.