Switch to lokkju/dosbox-x-remotedebug fork for working GDB server

- Use remotedebug branch which adds GDB/QMP server support
- Build with --enable-remotedebug configure flag
- Add proper GDB handshake (qSupported) to gdb_client.py
- Support no-ack mode for faster communication
- Expose QMP port 4444 in addition to GDB port 1234

The GDB server is configured via [dosbox] section:
  gdbserver = true
  gdbserver port = 1234
  qmpserver = true
  qmpserver port = 4444

Tested features: register read, memory read, breakpoints

Dockerfile

@@ -29,18 +29,21 @@ RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
     ca-certificates \
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
-# Clone DOSBox-X (main repo - check for GDB support)
+# Clone DOSBox-X with remote debugging support (GDB server + QMP)
-# Note: If hezi/dosbox-x-gdb is stale, main DOSBox-X may have debugger support
+# This fork adds --enable-remotedebug which compiles in gdbserver.cpp and qmp.cpp
+# See: https://github.com/joncampbell123/dosbox-x/issues/752
 WORKDIR /build
-RUN git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/joncampbell123/dosbox-x.git
+RUN git clone --branch remotedebug --depth 1 https://github.com/lokkju/dosbox-x-remotedebug.git dosbox-x
 
 WORKDIR /build/dosbox-x
 
-# Configure and build
+# Configure and build with GDB server support
-# DOSBox-X has built-in debugger that can be enabled
+# --enable-remotedebug: Enables C_REMOTEDEBUG flag for GDB/QMP servers
+# --enable-debug: Enables internal debugger (Alt+Pause)
 RUN ./autogen.sh && \
     ./configure \
         --prefix=/opt/dosbox-x \
+        --enable-remotedebug \
         --enable-debug \
         --enable-sdl2 \
         --disable-printer \
@@ -65,6 +68,12 @@ RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
     libavformat59 \
     libavutil57 \
     libswscale6 \
+    libgl1 \
+    libx11-6 \
+    libncurses6 \
+    libxkbcommon0 \
+    libxrandr2 \
+    libxi6 \
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 # Copy DOSBox-X from builder
@@ -76,7 +85,8 @@ RUN ln -s /opt/dosbox-x/bin/dosbox-x /usr/local/bin/dosbox-x
 # Create directories for config and DOS files
 RUN mkdir -p /config /dos
 
-# Default configuration with GDB stub enabled
+# Default configuration for DOSBox-X
+# GDB server is enabled via --enable-remotedebug at compile time
 RUN cat > /config/dosbox.conf << 'EOF'
 [sdl]
 fullscreen=false
@@ -91,11 +101,6 @@ cycles=auto
 [dosbox]
 memsize=16
 
-[debugger]
-# Enable GDB server stub
-gdbserver=true
-gdbport=1234
-
 [serial]
 serial1=disabled
 serial2=disabled
@@ -106,8 +111,10 @@ MOUNT C /dos
 C:
 EOF
 
-# Expose GDB port
+# Expose ports:
-EXPOSE 1234
+# - 1234: GDB server (standard GDB remote protocol)
+# - 4444: QMP server (QEMU Machine Protocol for control)
+EXPOSE 1234 4444
 
 # Set working directory
 WORKDIR /dos
@@ -116,5 +123,6 @@ WORKDIR /dos
 ENV DISPLAY=:0
 
 # Entry point
+# Note: GDB/QMP servers are enabled via config file [dosbox] section
 ENTRYPOINT ["dosbox-x", "-conf", "/config/dosbox.conf"]
 CMD []

docker-compose.yml

@@ -16,10 +16,10 @@ services:
       dockerfile: Dockerfile
     container_name: dosbox-mcp
 
-    # Ports
+    # Ports (remotedebug fork exposes these when built with --enable-remotedebug)
     ports:
-      - "${GDB_PORT:-1234}:1234"     # GDB stub
+      - "${GDB_PORT:-1234}:1234"     # GDB server (standard GDB remote protocol)
-      - "${SERIAL_PORT:-5555}:5555"  # Serial (optional)
+      - "${QMP_PORT:-4444}:4444"     # QMP server (QEMU Machine Protocol)
 
     # X11 forwarding for display
     environment:
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@ services:
       - headless
 
     ports:
-      - "${GDB_PORT_HEADLESS:-1235}:1234"
+      - "${GDB_PORT_HEADLESS:-1235}:1234"   # GDB server
+      - "${QMP_PORT_HEADLESS:-4445}:4444"   # QMP server
 
     environment:
       # Use virtual framebuffer for headless

src/dosbox_mcp/gdb_client.py

@@ -120,10 +120,43 @@ class GDBClient:
             finally:
                 self._socket.settimeout(self.timeout)
 
+            # Perform GDB protocol handshake (required by some stubs)
+            self._handshake()
+
         except OSError as e:
             self._connected = False
             raise GDBError(f"Failed to connect to {host}:{port}: {e}") from e
 
+    def _handshake(self) -> None:
+        """Perform GDB protocol handshake.
+
+        Some GDB stubs (like lokkju/dosbox-x-remotedebug) require qSupported
+        as the first packet to establish the session.
+        """
+        try:
+            # Send qSupported to establish capabilities
+            features = "qSupported:multiprocess+;swbreak+;hwbreak+;qRelocInsn+"
+            response = self._command(features)
+            logger.debug(f"qSupported response: {response}")
+
+            # Parse supported features
+            if response:
+                supported = response.split(';')
+                logger.info(f"GDB stub supports: {supported[:5]}...")  # First 5
+
+                # Enable no-ack mode if supported (faster communication)
+                if "QStartNoAckMode+" in supported:
+                    try:
+                        ack_response = self._command("QStartNoAckMode")
+                        if ack_response == "OK":
+                            logger.info("No-ack mode enabled")
+                    except GDBError:
+                        pass  # Not critical
+
+        except GDBError as e:
+            # Handshake failure - stub may not support qSupported
+            logger.warning(f"Handshake failed (may be normal): {e}")
+
     def disconnect(self) -> None:
         """Disconnect from GDB stub."""
         if self._socket: