Does dbx need a better user interface?

[Root Boy Jim]

   I'm getting pretty pissed off at Sun's dbx.  Although I run it
   under SunView, and can use the mouse to grab parts of prior dbx
   commands, I still find myself typing csh-isms like !!, for example
       (dbx) print foo->list
	    dbx prints it...
       (dbx) !!->head
       unrecognized command/syntax "!"

   Maybe the "one user interface for all applications" people have a
   point- if dbx had csh's user interface (the history and editing
   parts of it, anyway), people like me would have a much easier time.

Maybe they do. But different tasks require different assumptions about
command syntax and structure. Occaisionally this blends well, such as
with emacs command line editing in tcsh or ksh. Other times things 
diversify. Consider filename expansion vs. regular expressions. Do
you really want to type `ls .*\\.c'. Take what Sunview gives you and
be happy. You can also try dbx running under Gnu Emacs. And you might
take a look at gdb, the Gnu debugger. I've heard it's better than dbx.

What, you mean you don't do all your debugging with `printf's :-)

     Dan Kegel srs!dan at cs.rochester.edu
     rochester!srs!dan dan%srs.uucp at SOL.cs.rochester.edu

	(Root Boy) Jim Cottrell	<rbj at icst-cmr.arpa>
	National Bureau of Standards
	Flamer's Hotline: (301) 975-5688
	Yow!  Did something bad happen or am I in a drive-in movie??