Why can't I use the LLDB to print out a string literal with a ¢ character?

Question

While in a breakpoint during a XCTest (and later during a normal run), I encountered something... odd. I think the screenshot below explains my problem:

Why does it claim An Objective-C constant string's string initializer is not an array? It appears as if its attempt to translate my @"" NSString literal sugar into an NSString initializer-with-C-string was unsuccessful, but why?

Also, I've tested many other strings with the ¢ character or its Unicode escape sequence, and they all have the same result.

Answer 1

That looks like a bug. Please file it with http://bugreporter.apple.com.

Static string construction involves some compiler magic, and apparently lldb isn't getting that right when the string contains high-bit characters. You can achieve the same effect in the expression parser by using one of the NSString constructors:

(lldb) expr NSString *$newstr = [NSString stringWithUTF8String: "Something¢"]
(lldb) expr $newstr
(__NSCFString *) $newstr = 0x00000001007000a0 @"Something¢"

Then you can use $newstr in future expressions.

Answer 2

Must be a bug with LLDB expression parser. Even debuggers have bugs..

You can look for the error in IRForTarget which is used by llvm ClangExpressionParser.