c - How to make backtrace()/backtrace_symbols() print the function names?

Question

The Linux specific backtrace() and backtrace_symbols() allows you to produce a call trace of the program. However, it only prints function addresses, not their names for my program. How can I make them print the function names as well ? I've tried compiling the program with -g as well as -ggdb. The test case below just prints this:

    BACKTRACE ------------
    ./a.out() [0x8048616]
    ./a.out() [0x8048623]
    /lib/libc.so.6(__libc_start_main+0xf3) [0x4a937413]
    ./a.out() [0x8048421]
    ----------------------
    

I'd want the first 2 items to also show the function names, foo and main

Code:

#include <execinfo.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <errno.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

static void full_write(int fd, const char *buf, size_t len)
{
        while (len > 0) {
                ssize_t ret = write(fd, buf, len);

                if ((ret == -1) && (errno != EINTR))
                        break;

                buf += (size_t) ret;
                len -= (size_t) ret;
        }
}

void print_backtrace(void)
{
        static const char start[] = "BACKTRACE ------------
";
        static const char end[] = "----------------------
";

        void *bt[1024];
        int bt_size;
        char **bt_syms;
        int i;

        bt_size = backtrace(bt, 1024);
        bt_syms = backtrace_symbols(bt, bt_size);
        full_write(STDERR_FILENO, start, strlen(start));
        for (i = 1; i < bt_size; i++) {
                size_t len = strlen(bt_syms[i]);
                full_write(STDERR_FILENO, bt_syms[i], len);
                full_write(STDERR_FILENO, "
", 1);
        }
        full_write(STDERR_FILENO, end, strlen(end));
    free(bt_syms);
}
void foo()
{
    print_backtrace();
}

int main()
{
    foo();
    return 0;
}

Answer 1

The symbols are taken from the dynamic symbol table; you need the -rdynamic option to gcc, which makes it pass a flag to the linker which ensures that all symbols are placed in the table.

(See the Link Options page of the GCC manual, and / or the Backtraces page of the glibc manual.)