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<h2 class="chapter">19 Specifying a Debugging Target</h2>

<p><a name="index-debugging-target-1030"></a>A <dfn>target</dfn> is the execution environment occupied by your program.

   <p>Often, <span class="sc">gdb</span> runs in the same host environment as your program;
in that case, the debugging target is specified as a side effect when
you use the <code>file</code> or <code>core</code> commands.  When you need more
flexibility&mdash;for example, running <span class="sc">gdb</span> on a physically separate
host, or controlling a standalone system over a serial port or a
realtime system over a TCP/IP connection&mdash;you can use the <code>target</code>
command to specify one of the target types configured for <span class="sc">gdb</span>
(see <a href="Target-Commands.html#Target-Commands">Commands for Managing Targets</a>).

   <p><a name="index-target-architecture-1031"></a>It is possible to build <span class="sc">gdb</span> for several different <dfn>target
architectures</dfn>.  When <span class="sc">gdb</span> is built like that, you can choose
one of the available architectures with the <kbd>set architecture</kbd>
command.

     
<a name="index-set-architecture-1032"></a>
<a name="index-show-architecture-1033"></a>
<dl><dt><code>set architecture </code><var>arch</var><dd>This command sets the current target architecture to <var>arch</var>.  The
value of <var>arch</var> can be <code>"auto"</code>, in addition to one of the
supported architectures.

     <br><dt><code>show architecture</code><dd>Show the current target architecture.

     <br><dt><code>set processor</code><dt><code>processor</code><dd><a name="index-set-processor-1034"></a><a name="index-show-processor-1035"></a>These are alias commands for, respectively, <code>set architecture</code>
and <code>show architecture</code>. 
</dl>

<ul class="menu">
<li><a accesskey="1" href="Active-Targets.html#Active-Targets">Active Targets</a>:               Active targets
<li><a accesskey="2" href="Target-Commands.html#Target-Commands">Target Commands</a>:              Commands for managing targets
<li><a accesskey="3" href="Byte-Order.html#Byte-Order">Byte Order</a>:                   Choosing target byte order
</ul>

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