title: How do I configure GDB correctly, to stop error "You can't do that without a process to debug"
body: <p>Ubuntu 16.04.4 LTS, GNU gdb (Ubuntu 7.11.1-0ubuntu1~16.5) 7.11.1</p>
  
  <p>I am trying to call a function in a compiled C program and get the following:</p>
  
  <pre><code>"(gdb) call getVarName(someParam)
   You can't do that without a process to debug."
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>There are no other codes or messages.</p>
  
  <p>I can run the program from the shell prompt 
  jef@ubuntu$ ./program.
  I can run the program within gdb after designating the file. Permissions are 777 (just to cover all bases).</p>
  
  <p>Based on research, I set the SHELL with "export SHELL=/bin/bash"
  and
  set kernal.yama.ptrace_scope = 0 in /etc/sysctl.d/10-ptrace.conf</p>
  
  <p>I still get the same behavior.</p>