When the HelenOS kernel starts up, it configures its output device
and starts booting. During the boot process it writes out some some
lines regarding memory size and available CPUs. The userspace
drivers and tasks take over the console as soon as the start-up activity
and developer kernel tests are finished.
The console driver provides 12 virtual consoles, 11 reserved
for applications, console 12 is reserved for kernel console. Pressing
function keys F1-F12 switches between the consoles.
If the architecture supports framebuffer device larger with
resolution at least 800x600, nice graphical console is shown. At the top
of the screen a row of buttons for the virtual console is drawn. If
the button contains console number, an application is connected to it.
The red button signifies that there was an activity on the terminal
since it was last shown to the user.
KConsole is a kernel thread operating completely in priviledged mode.
It allows user to interact directly with the kernel and even start directly
functions inside the kernel.
The KConsole is shown by switching to console number 12. On some platforms
the kconsole screen is not restored to its previous contents. Press
enter to see a KConsole prompt. The function keys for switching terminals
do not work in KConsole, to switch back to other console, use
the {\em continue} command. After executing the command, press a function key
to switch to other consoles.
The basic editing facilities are very similar to {\em readline} conventions.
The left and right arrows, backspace and delete keys allow for convenient
editing of the text. The history of last ten commands can be retrieved
using up and down arrows. KConsole supports tab completion, double tab
shows a list of available commands.
The first class of commands prints useful statistics from the running
operating systems. The commands are:
\begin{description}
\item[zones] --- Prints a list of memory zones. \item[zone $<$zone number$>$] --- Prints a detailed statistics about frame allocator. \item[slabs] --- Prints a details statistics about slab allocator. \item[scheduler] --- Prints scheduler queues on all cpus. \item[threads] --- Prints list of existing threads, including information about the thread state
\item[tasks] --- Prints list of tasks along with some basic IPC informations. \item[ipc\_task $<$taskid$>$] --- Prints detailed information about IPC queues of a particular task. \item[tlb] --- Prints contents of the Translation Lookaside Buffer on a processor (supported only on some platforms) \item[exc] --- Prints table of registered exception handlers \end{description}
Kernel contains a searchable version of its symbol table. This is used
in error processing as well as for extending functionality of KConsole.
The following commands are supported:
\begin{description}
\item[symaddr $<$address$>$] --- Finds an address in symbol table and prints appropriate symbol name.
\item[call0, call1... $<$function$>$ $<$args...$>$] --- Calls a C function function(args...). Note that the tab-completion works for the function names. Because
of architecture calling convention, this command does not work correctly
on the ia64 platform. The arguments can be specified
\begin{itemize}
\item as a number or hexadecimal number: call1 task
\_kill 8
\item as a string: call1 printf "Hello world"
\item as a hexadecimal number preceded by '*'. The argument is then read from
the given address: call2 printf "%X" *0x8000000
\item as a symbol name. In such case the value located in the memory
in the symbols address is used: call2 printf "%d" task_counter
\item as a symbol name preceded by '
\&'. The address is used.
\item as a symbol name preceded by '*'. In such a case the symbol is dereferenced.
\end{itemize}
\item[set4 <address|symbol name>] --- Saves 4-byte value on a given address. \end{description}
The mips, ia32 and amd64 platforms provide additional commands regarding
debugging facility - set and clear hardware breakpoints and watchpoints.
KConsole {\em call} commands can be used to start and kill the tasks.
To repeatably start the task, the following procedure should be used:
\begin{verbatim}
.... kernel boot data ....
init[8].addr=0x8027b000, init[8].size=86016
.... rest of boot data ...
kconsole> call2 task_run_program 0x8027b000 0
Calling f(0x8027b000,0): 0x80119283: generic/src/proc/task.o:task_run_program
Result: 0x80086500
\end{verbatim}
To kill a task, the function {\em task\_kill} is appropriate. The {\em taskid}
parameter is a 64-bit number on all platforms, thus on the 32-bit platforms
call2 should be used with 2 32-bit parameters instead.
\begin{verbatim}
kconsole> call2 task_kill 8 0
Calling f(0x8,0x0): 0x801197e8: generic/src/proc/task.o:task_kill
Result: 0x0
\end{verbatim}
It may happen that the IPC communication dies or that there appear some
problems in the communication chain
{\em keboard driver} - {\em console} - {\em output driver}.
As long that at least the keyboard driver works, pressing Escape key three
times transfers control to the KConsole immediately. Because the screen is not
updated, the user should press Enter to see the kconsole prompt.
If a kernel panic occurs, the error handling automatially switches control
to the KConsole and allows users to inspect the failed kernel online.
On the SMP system the other processors are halted immediately. The kernel
contains its symbol table, so you can probably read some useful information
about the exact place where the panic occured.
Kernel panic is extremely rare in HelenOS. However, if the user wishes to
simulate it, KConsole contains proper commands. For example the following
command simulates a write to the unmapped address 0x4:
\begin{verbatim}
kconsole> set4 4 0
\end{verbatim}
To test the autodebugging possibilities of the IA32 platform, the following
sequence can be executed:
\begin{verbatim}
kconsole> bkpts
0. 0x80032010 in (NULL)
Count(0)
kconsole> set4 0x80032010 0
**** Found ZERO on address 0x0 ****
Reached breakpoint 0:0x8011552a(generic/src/console/cmd.o:cmd_set4)
***Type 'exit' to exit kconsole.
debug>
\end{verbatim}
To avoid disturbing the framebuffer driver with kernel messages, a circular
buffer communication between kernel and userspace area is established.
Non-critical messages are sent to the
KLog application. User can see messages about task faults
and task cleanup completion.
\section{IPCC - testing application} To test thouroughly some aspects of the task activities, IPCC application
allows user to generate page faults