Symbol not included in compiled hex file

[daubsi]

I am debugging an application on a nRF5340 DK using nRF Connect SDK from VS Code. (Toolchain/nRF Connect SDK v2.9.0), everything up-to-date.

The build is "optimized for debugging".

When I set a bp in an interesting function I want to see the actual contents of an array which is manipulated.

From the context menu I select: "Reveal symbol in memory explorer" but get the error "The symbol XYZ is not included in the compiled hex file".

Actually I don't see any of my user-defined variables in the selection box. 

What do I need to do to properly see the memory area and contents of a variable I want to inspect?

[Hung Bui]

Hi Markus, 

As far as I know the default symbols view just take the symbols from symbols table where the ELF symbols is from the elf file. So there is a difference here. 

[daubsi]

OK, but what makes a symbol go into the symbol table or the ELF file? Am I doing something wrong? I mean, I am just using "some variables"? As far as I know (from the Linux world), these are all just symbols? The way it is right now just feels awkward and somewhat inconvenient? Is it just how it is?

[Hung Bui]

Hi Markus,
I don't have much insight of how the Memory Explorer, I guess it's just how it is for now. 
For normal variable I would just use the Variables plane on the left handside panel to see the value of the variables instead of using the Memory Explorer. 

[daubsi]

Hi Hung Bui,

ok, fine as well. My intention to use the memory explorer was also to see the actual memory constants occupied by some variables to spot things like buffer overruns etc. which cannot be seen in the native variable window.

I can live with both variants!

Thanks!