[cdt-debug-dev] Refreshing the Variables view when changing memory via t

[John Cortell <john.cortell@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I've been trying to get our CDI client (non-gdb) to get the Variables 
view to update after a change to memory via the Memory View, and I've 
been trying to do this without changes to CDT code--strictly by 
adding logic to or CDI backend. What I've got so far works fine for 
simple scenarios: primitives on the stack, and even arrays. But it 
falls short when you're dealing with nested objects (pointers to 
struct/class). That is, if the user modified the memory at 0x1000, 
and that ends up being associated with field a->b->c->d in the 
Variables view, how can I get that element in the view to 
refresh/update? I've come to the conclusion that it's just not 
possible, or practical (even if it was possible).

A brute-force way to guarantee the Variables and Memory view stay in 
synch is to get CDT to invalidate all variables of all frames of all 
threads when memory in the Target is modified via a CDT MemoryBlock. 
This behavior could be applied only to backends that want it. This 
seems extremely inefficient, but trying to sharp-shoot the elements 
that changed is very costly as well, assuming it's even possible. And 
it seems to me leaving the two views out of synch is not acceptable.

I'm wondering what folks out there are doing about this situation in 
their products now, and I welcome feedback on my proposal.

Joh