File Static Variables and Globals not visible in Variables view during Debug

Hello everyone,

I am using ARM Development Studio (2023.1) for debugging my code on the Fixed Virtual Platform. This works great in general but the "Variables" view fails to display File Static Variables and Globals (Locals work just fine). When expanding each of these categories, "Pending" is displayed for less than a second, after which the category appears just as empty as when collapsed (see screenshot).

I can use the debugger commands to print file static variables and globals without problems so accessing these variables cannot be the problem. Maybe the "large" number of Variables is causing the problem? This problem is present for multiple versions of ARM DS and on multiple machines.

I hope there is a way to fix this as it is important for me to view these variables as well and relying on the debug commands is tedious.

kind regards,

Martin S.

  • Hi Martin

    My name is Stephen and I work at Arm.

    To see the File Static and Global variables, you must explicitly add them to the Variables view.

    Click the Add button in the bottom right. You can then add individual variables to the view, or add them all by clicking in the middle of the Add Variable dialog and pressing Ctrl-A, then OK.

    See developer.arm.com/.../Variables-view

    Local variables are usually held in processor registers (except for larger items that get spilled onto the Stack).  By contrast, File Static and Global variables are held in RAM, accessed via the memory system.  So this approach keeps the Debugger's intrusiveness on the target's memory system under the user's control, which is especially important for e.g. board bring-up scenarios, where the memory system might not be fully working correctly.

    Hope this helps

    Stephen