---
name: "acpidb"
section: "8"
platform: "freebsd"
package: "base"
version: "16.0-CURRENT-20261027-61c70dc16a79"
release: "FreeBSD 16.0-CURRENT (2026-10-27)"
platforms: ["freebsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/acpidb"
---

# acpidb(8)

ACPI DSDT debugger

## NAME

**acpidb** – ACPI DSDT debugger

## SYNOPSIS

**acpidb** *input-file*

## DESCRIPTION

The **acpidb** utility is a debugger for the ACPI DSDT. It can parse and execute various AML methods and display the result.

## COMMANDS

### General-Purpose Commands

- **Allocations**

  Display list of current memory allocations

- **Dump** *Address* \| *Namepath* \[**Byte** \| **Word** \| **Dword** \| **Qword**\]

  Display ACPI objects or memory

- **EnableAcpi**

  Enable ACPI (hardware) mode

- **Help**

  Show various help screens

- **History**

  Display command history buffer

- **Level** *DebugLevel* \[**console**\]

  Get/Set debug level for file or console

- **Locks**

  Current status of internal mutexes

- **Quit** or **Exit**

  Exit the debugger

- **Stats** \[**Allocations** \| **Memory** \| **Misc** \| **Objects** \| **Tables**\]

  Display namespace and memory statistics

- **Tables**

  Display info about loaded ACPI tables

- **Unload** *TableSig* \[*Instance*\]

  Unload an ACPI table

- **!** *CommandNumber*

  Execute command from history buffer

- **!!**

  Execute last command again

### Namespace Access Commands

- **Event** **F** \| **G** *Value*

  Generate AcpiEvent (Fixed/GPE)

- **Find** *Name*

  Find ACPI name(s) with wildcards ‘(?’ is wildcard)

- **Method**

  Display list of loaded control methods

- **Namespace** \[*Addr* \| *Path*\] \[*Depth*\]

  Display loaded namespace tree/subtree

- **Notify** *NamePath* *Value*

  Send a notification

- **Objects** *ObjectType*

  Display all objects of the given type

- **Owner** *OwnerId* \[*Depth*\]

  Display loaded namespace by object owner

- **Prefix** \[*NamePath*\]

  Set or Get current execution prefix

- **References** *Addr*

  Find all references to object at addr

- **Resources**

  Get and display resources

- **Terminate**

  Delete namespace and all internal objects

- **Thread** *Threads* *Loops* *NamePath*

  Spawn threads to execute method(s)

### Control Method Execution Commands

- **Arguments**

  (**Args**) Display method arguments

- **Breakpoint** *AmlOffset*

  Set an AML execution breakpoint

- **Call**

  Run to next control method invocation

- **Debug** *Namepath* \[*Arguments*\]

  Single Step a control method

- **Execute** *Namepath* \[Arguments\]

  Execute control method

- **Go**

  Allow method to run to completion

- **Information**

  Display info about the current method

- **Into**

  Step into (not over) a method call

- **List** \[OpcodeCount\]

  Display method ASL statements

- **Locals**

  Display method local variables

- **Results**

  Display method result stack

- **Set** **A** \| **L** *#* *Value*

  Set method data (Arguments/Locals)

- **Stop**

  Terminate control method

- **Tree**

  Display control method calling tree

- **\<Enter\>**

  Single step next AML opcode (over calls)

### File I/O Commands

- **Close**

  Close debug output file

- **Open** *Filename*

  Open a file for debug output

- **Load** *Filename*

  Load ACPI table from a file

## SEE ALSO

[acpi(4)](/acpi/4.md), [acpidump(8)](/acpidump/8.md), [iasl(8)](/iasl/8.md)

## HISTORY

The **acpidb** utility first appeared in the **acpicatools** port. It was imported for FreeBSD 5.2.

## AUTHORS

The **acpidb** utility was written by Mitsuru Iwasaki ⟨*iwasaki@FreeBSD.org*⟩ and uses Intel ACPI-CA for the backend. This manual page was written by Nate Lawson.