Read/write a variable/symbol from inside GDB's python-interactive mode - c

Question

I'm experimenting with python-interactive mode in gdb, and I can't figure out how to change a variable from inside it. I know how to do it without python - set variable a = 10.
I'm using this test program:
#include <stdio.h>
int main(int argc, char *argv) {
int a;
printf("Enter a: ");
scanf("%d", &a);
printf("You entered: %d\n", a);
}
I've placed a breakpoint after the scanf(), and when it's hit I enter python interactive mode. Now I want to change the variable a to some other value. I tried using a = 10, but it wasn't changed, and the same value I entered in the scanf() (in this case it's 5) was printed instead.
(gdb) b main.c:6
Breakpoint 1 at 0x8048503: file main.c, line 6.
(gdb) r
Starting program: /home/sashoalm/Desktop/test/a.out
Enter a: 5
Breakpoint 1, main (argc=1, argv=0xbffff1d4 "\214\363\377\277") at main.c:6
6 printf("You entered: %d\n", a);
(gdb) python-interactive
>>> a = 10
>>>
(gdb) c
Continuing.
You entered: 5
[Inferior 1 (process 26133) exited normally]
So what is the correct way to do it?

Answer 1

After some searching through the Python API documentation I found the answer. I needed to use gdb.execute('set var a = 10'), which allows python scripts to execute gdb commands, and the commands are evaluated as if the user has written them.
I used this code to read a, add 5 to it and then set it:
symbol = gdb.lookup_symbol('a')[0]
frame = gdb.selected_frame()
value = symbol.value(frame)
gdb.execute('set var a = %d' % (int(value)+5))