This
article does not try to cover all possible details about
debugging VC ++. It tries to add some knowledge to the VC++
programmers who are already exposed to some amount of VC++
programming and debugging.
Memory
dump:
Large
arrays(esp. character), won't be able to be viewed in the
variables watch window while debugging VC ++. This Memory Dump
option provides a nice way to view the values in such large
chunks of memory.
When
we try to expand the array in the watch window, the Developer
studio prompts "The expansion of this value will take
longer time. Do you want to continue?". Memory dump comes
handy in such scenarios. To view the values in memory dump,
press ALT+6 or View -->Debug Windows-->Memory.
By
default the data is displayed in Byte format. If we have to
view this in some other format, click
Tools-->Options-->Debug tab-->change memory window
format.
Conditional
breakpoints:
Breakpoints in VC++ are good way to reduce the speed of
execution for evaluating the programs manually while debugging
VC ++. Breakpoints can be executed in two modes viz.,
conditional breakpoints and unconditional breakpoints.
Unconditional
breakpoints can be set by pressing F9 at the line where
the cursor has been placed. After that, execute the program in
debug mode by pressing F5. This will ensure execution of the
program till the line of breakpoint and break the execution at
the breakpoint. Ctrl + F10 will be useful to execute a chunk
of lines at a single shot without placing breakpoints, when
debugging vc ++.
Conditional
breakpoints while debugging vc ++ are placed by using VC++
Menu-->Edit-->Breakpoints or ALT + F9. We can specify
the conditions in the Data tab of the conditional break points
window.
Profiling:
This
feature is useful particulary for knowing the execution
layouts. Most of the times, we don't know if a line/function
is executed in a program. This feature in VC++, helps in
resolving such doubts during debugging vc ++. Click on Project
--> Settings --> Link tab and click on the Enable
Profiling check box and Build the project. Click Menu
Build-->Profile and select the option you want to check.
The wizard gives 5 options for evaluation each of them useful
at different levels. Select the option and press OK. This will
build the profile and show it in the Profile tab (which is
normally placed below the workspace window).