NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra · error · IllegalArgumentException

This mapper cannot handle Harvard guests

Error message

This mapper cannot handle Harvard guests

What it means

Thrown by DefaultDebuggerPlatformMapper.validate when the target language is a Harvard architecture (separate instruction and data address spaces). The default mapper assumes a von Neumann (unified) memory model and cannot reconcile split code/data spaces.

Source

Thrown at Ghidra/Debug/Debugger/src/main/java/ghidra/app/plugin/core/debug/mapping/DefaultDebuggerPlatformMapper.java:47

public class DefaultDebuggerPlatformMapper extends AbstractDebuggerPlatformMapper {

	protected static boolean isHarvard(Language language) {
		return language.getDefaultSpace() != language.getDefaultDataSpace();
	}

	protected final PluginTool tool;
	protected final CompilerSpec cSpec;

	public DefaultDebuggerPlatformMapper(PluginTool tool, Trace trace, CompilerSpec cSpec) {
		super(tool, trace);
		validate(cSpec);
		this.tool = tool;
		this.cSpec = cSpec;
	}

	protected void validate(CompilerSpec cSpec) {
		if (isHarvard(cSpec.getLanguage())) {
			throw new IllegalArgumentException("This mapper cannot handle Harvard guests");
		}
	}

	@Override
	public CompilerSpec getCompilerSpec(TraceObject object, long snap) {
		return cSpec;
	}

	protected TracePlatform addOrGetPlatform(CompilerSpec cSpec, long snap) {
		String description = "Add guest " + cSpec.getLanguage().getLanguageDescription() + "/" +
			cSpec.getCompilerSpecDescription();
		try (Transaction tx = trace.openTransaction(description)) {
			TracePlatformManager platformManager = trace.getPlatformManager();
			TracePlatform platform = platformManager.getOrAddPlatform(cSpec);
			if (!platform.isHost()) {
				addMappedRanges((TraceGuestPlatform) platform);
			}
			return platform;

View on GitHub (pinned to d5f144c24d)

Solutions

1. Use a Harvard-capable platform mapper subclass for the target architecture.
2. Confirm the selected processor module/compiler spec is correct for the target; switch to the appropriate mapper via the platform mapping UI.
3. If you are extending the mapper, override validate() to handle split address spaces instead of rejecting them.
4. Report/extend mapping support for the specific Harvard target upstream.

Example fix

// before
new DefaultDebuggerPlatformMapper(tool, trace, cSpec); // throws for Harvard lang

// after
if (isHarvard(cSpec.getLanguage())) {
    mapper = new HarvardDebuggerPlatformMapper(tool, trace, cSpec);
} else {
    mapper = new DefaultDebuggerPlatformMapper(tool, trace, cSpec);
}

boolean defaultOk = !isHarvard(cSpec.getLanguage());

static boolean isHarvardLang(Language l) {
    // mirrors DefaultDebuggerPlatformMapper.isHarvard
    return l != null && l.getAddressFactory().getInstructionSpace() != null
        && l.getAddressFactory().getAddressSpaces().length > 1; // illustrative
}

try {
    new DefaultDebuggerPlatformMapper(tool, trace, cSpec);
} catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
    // select a Harvard-aware mapper instead
}

When it happens

Trigger: Constructing a DefaultDebuggerPlatformMapper (or a mapper whose validate calls super) for a CompilerSpec whose Language is Harvard (isHarvard(language) returns true), e.g., AVR, 8051, PIC.

Common situations: Debugging an embedded Harvard-architecture target (AVR, 8051, PIC, MSP430 variants) with the default platform mapper instead of a Harvard-aware one; misconfigured platform mapping for such targets.

Related errors

• Emulation requires a Sleigh language
• Trace is not opened in this tool
• The function for the frame is no longer present in the mappe
• Cannot find static program for frame ({pc}={pcVal})
• No such register: {name}

AI-assisted analysis of NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra@d5f144c24d (2026-08-14). Data as JSON: /api/errors/889e942466b7c0a3. Report an issue: GitHub.