When starting gdb with application message "Debugging Helper Missing" is displayed [Solved]

[koahnig]

I have compiled on my own Qt 4.8.3 with MinGW 4.6. Later I have compiled also Qt creator 2.6.0 with same compiler against the same Qt version.
When I am debugging my other applications Qt creator is complaining that the message "Debugging Helper Missing". The details given in the box are:
@
The debugging helper library was not found at C:/Qt/4.8.3_MinGW/qtc-debugging-helper/, C:/Source/creator_build/qtc-debugging-helper/110536423/, C:\Users\xxxxxx\AppData\Local\QtProject\QtCreator/qtc-debugging-helper/110536423/.
@

I am using GDB for debugging and the tool chain settings seem to be ok.

I have checked and could not even find these qtc-debugging-helper folders therefore also no content.

On my laptop I have Qt 4.8.4 compiled with MinGW 4.7.2. Qt creator is 2.6.1 (precompiled version installed). I have started the debug version of the application, which obtains the complaint above, but it does not show there.

[mzimmers]

Did you build the helper? Preferences -> Build & Run -> Qt Versions -> (select a version and look at details for Helpers.

[koahnig]

I cannot. I says "not needed" for "GDB Helper". Also for the the others BTW. On the laptop where I do not see the problem, it says also "not needed".

Overall it is a bit strange. When following the advice displayed through the message box it doesn't lead somewhere obvious. After several attempts over time (since just bugs me a bit) I found that I had to check under "Helpers: QML Dump.", which I think is a bit misleading. I am doing pure C++ programming, so why should I care about anything with QML.

Finding the options greyed and knowing the fact that I have probably unchecked all QML it could be that part of QML is used by Qt creator. However, this is not overall conclusive, since the menu of the pre-compiled Qt creator version on my laptop has all greyed as well.

[andrep]

There is indeed no need to compile GDB helpers for Windows as the functionality is realized using a Python script nowadays (since Qt Creator 2.0). Check your debugger settings in the Buiild and Run -> Kits settings, and make sure it points to a Python-enabled build of GDB as shipped with the Qt SDK, or a copy from http://builds.qt-project.org/, but not to one of a stock MinGW installation which typically does not support Python scripting.

[Edit: Just in case someone stumbles over this in the future: Recent builds of stock MinGW GDB's do have working Python scripting, and do work with Creator out-of-the-box.]

[koahnig]

[quote author="andrep" date="1357304512"]There is indeed no need to compile GDB helpers for Windows as the functionality is realized using a Python script nowadays (since Qt Creator 2.0). Check your debugger settings in the Buiild and Run -> Kits settings, and make sure it points to a Python-enabled build of GDB as shipped with the Qt SDK, or a copy from http://builds.qt-project.org/, but not to one of a stock MinGW installation which typically does not support Python scripting.[/quote]
Thanks a lot. That did the trick.
I have downloaded "this archive":http://builds.qt-project.org/view/All/job/gdb-windows/lastSuccessfulBuild/artifact/build-creator-gdb-mingw/qtcreator-gdb-7.4-MINGW32_NT-6.1-i686.tar.gz and copied the contents to a separate directory. The only left was choosing the gdb.exe under "build&run"->"Kits".
The GDB I used was the one shipped with MinGW 4.6.2.

On my laptop I am using MinGW 4.7.2 and its GDB version. This did not ask for the helpers. Not clear to me at the moment what is happening there. Either MinGW has now a Phyton-enabled GDB bundled :) or I got a mixture of versions :(

[koahnig]

To conclude this discussion. Also the GDB version bundled with MinGW 4.7.2 is not phyton-enabled. So andrep's statement is completely correct.

[markanth]

I eventually found this very helpful thread, but had some trouble finding a Python-enabled version of gdb.

I finally found it here:

http://origin.releases.qt-project.org/gdb/

(Note that the "this archive" link above provided by koanIg on Jan 6 is broken. In the likely event that this link will also be broken at some point in the future, you may be able to find it, as we did, via a google search for "gdb python binaries windows". )

[altendky]

MinGW provides mingw32-gdb-python. The executable in my case is gdb-python27.exe. I also had to install Python 2.7 separately (direct from Python website). I'm not 100%... but I think this is working.