WDEB386 Debugger's Use of COM Port

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows versions 3.1 and 3.0

SUMMARY

The only COM port setting for the Windows 80386 Debugger (WDEB386) that can be altered through the /C: command-line switch is the specification for which COM port to use. (The COM port and the baud rate can also be changed through a debugger command.) Unlike CodeView, WDEB386 runs outside the Windows environment and does not use WIN.INI or SYSTEM.INI settings to store its configuration.

WDEB386 reprograms the COM port before it sends each character. This feature prevents other programs or parts of programs that use or abuse the COM port, such as the MS-DOS MODE command, from influencing the operation of WDEB386. This prevents misbehaving applications from affecting communication with the debugger.

WDEB386 is a systems-level debugger for the Windows version 3.0 protected mode environment (enhanced mode and standard mode). Because it can debug the initialization portion of device drivers that run under protected mode Windows, WDEB386 is often used during device driver development. However, for most uses, CodeView is the preferred protected mode debugger.

In Windows version 3.1, WDEB386 adds the /R: command-line switch to specify the baud rate.