I need help finding a debugging tool that can show me what the program stack looks like in memory when I pause execution. I want to see a graphical view of the stack contents, not just text output. I tried DDD already but it doesn’t seem to have this feature. Are there any debuggers out there that can display the call stack and local variables in a visual way? I’m working on understanding how memory gets organized during program execution and a visual tool would really help me see what’s happening. Regular gdb command line output is hard for me to follow when debugging complex programs.
qtcreator’s got a solid stack viewer that should work for you. eclipse cdt is another option - shows local variables and stack frames really well in debug mode. nothing fancy but beats raw gdb output by miles
I struggled with the same issue until I discovered Radare2. While it is primarily known for reverse engineering, its visual mode offers excellent insights into stack layouts. The graph mode and hexdump views provide actual memory addresses and stack boundaries, making it easier to understand where variables reside, far surpassing text-based debuggers. Intel Inspector is another strong option for detailed memory views during program execution. For a more lightweight alternative, Nemiver stands out with superior variable watches and memory views compared to DDD. Although there is a learning curve, viewing real memory addresses and understanding stack growth greatly enhances comprehension beyond command-line tools.
have u checked out visual studio code? its debug extensions are pretty neat for memory visualization. what kinda programs are u working on - c/c++ or something else? also, have u looked into browser-based debugging tools for that visual stack display?