I am creatinig Managed Extensibility Framework extensions for some program. That program uses dll files witch i create. I dont have visual studio project of that program, but i have that program. I can run these extensions using that program, but cant debug them properly.
Is it possible to use visual studio debugger to debug my code?
I found solution to this, thanks!
I found solution to this by my self, but thanks for sugestions.
I can use that app for which i am creating this extension, class libary project.
I press properties on project, then select debug tab and set "start external programm" an set it o that main app. then i press f5 and that app starts and when it uses my extension i can debug it using visual studio debugger. And i forgot to tell that i am creating this in C#.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/68c8335t.aspx
I believe what you are looking for can be found here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/0bxe8ytt.aspx
According to this article, you could use the "Add Existing Project" dialog in you solution (for your DLL) to add the executable that you do not have the solution for. Because you are using MEF, it might get a bit tricky and you might want to create a new solution for debugging instead. However, this seems to be the general way to handle your situation. Since you have the source code for your DLL, I believe it should allow you to step through your code fully at the very least.
Note: You will need to make sure you have Visual C++ installed in your development environment.
If you are trying to debug the assembly code, then you can use the technique discussed by #BiggsTRC, if you are simply trying to identify why parts aren't being loaded, you could consider looking at the Composition Analysis Tool (mefx). This is a command-line tool for analysing a set of parts and finding out where failures may occur during composition.
Related
I'm learning F# and I'm just trying to build Animate a pendulum program.
Here's the code:
https://rosettacode.org/wiki/Animate_a_pendulum#F.23
As far as I understand, VS 2019 doesn't support WinForms in F# (maybe, I'm wrong), so I have error messages, trying to copy/paste that code:
What should I do?
Thanks a lot !
If you're looking to use Winforms on .NET core, you'll need to do the following in your project:
Open the project file (double-click on the node in Visual Studio)
Change the Sdk to Microsoft.NET.Sdk.WindowsDesktop
Ensure you have this OutputType: <OutputType>WinExe</OutputType>
Add the following property to the top-level PropertyGroup: <UseWindowsForms>true</UseWindowsForms>
There won't be a visual designer to use, but you should have access to the APIs.
Unfortunately, there is no Winforms designer in Visual Studio 2019 for F# projects of any type, and Winforms can only be easily accessed (as far as I know) in .Net Framework (NOT .NET Core) projects they can be accessed as per #Phillip Carter's answer.
However you can still make Winforms programs easily by manually adding the references to your .NET Framework project, or (more easily) by manually compiling with the F# compiler, fsc.
The Fast Way
The easiest way to do this is simply compile the source code with the F# compiler from a single source file with fsc.exe. The F# compiler will automatically resolve dependencies for things like System.Windows.Forms and a lot of other commonly used namespaces. You can also provide lots of compiler directives for requiring other resources as well.
Example using VSCode, with various extensions:
Another Way
Start a new F# console .NET Framework project (don't pick .NET Core).
Right click on "References" in the Solution Explorer and click "Add Reference..."
Under assemblies, look for "System.Windows.Forms," select it...
And also select "System.Drawing" and then hit OK
Now you have access to both of those namespaces.
Before you run the project in Visual Studio, you should replace
[<STAThread>]
Application.Run( new PendulumForm( Visible=true ) )
with
[<STAThread;EntryPoint>]
let main _ =
Application.Run( new PendulumForm( Visible=true ) )
0
This way you (and VS) know where main actually is. It's not necessary for this small of a program to actually run it, but as your projects get larger VS will complain more about where things are located in your project.
I'm developing a C# dll, called child.dll, which will be loaded by another 3rd-party C# executable program, called parent.exe. I don't have an access to the source code of parent.exe.
On Visual Studio, when I want to debug my dll project, I just have to attach the debugger to parent.exe and that's it. I can't find an easy way to do this on Xamarin Studio.
What I'm doing now are:
Set env var MONODEVELOP_SDB_TEST=1 to enable "Custom Command Mono Soft Debugger"
Launch Xamarin Studio using the same terminal as the first step.
Uncheck "Debug project code only; do not step into framework code" in Xamarin Studio Options -> Debugger
Add a dummy exe project in the same solution of my child.dll. This is because Xamarin Studio doesn't allow "Run with" for the library project type. By doing this, I can now access "Run with" feature of the Xamarin Studio.
Build the whole solution, copy child.dll to where parent.exe want it to be and run mono --debug --debugger-agent=transport=dt_socket,server=y,suspend=n,address=127.0.0.1:55555 parent.exe parent-args. (Parent.exe will load child.dll)
Set the dummy project as a startup roject
Run with > Custom Command Mono Soft Debugger and connect to 127.0.0.1:55555
I'm finding a way to let other developers in my company be able to create and debug their own child.dll under parent.exe. I think the only unacceptable step is the fourth step which doesn't make any sense for them.
Does anyone face the same issue as mine? How did you achieve your goal?
Update Info
I've over-simplified the question. In the real scenario, I didn't manage parent.exe myself. parent.exe has already been running (with this exact command mono --debug --debugger-agent=transport=dt_socket,server=y,suspend=n,address=127.0.0.1:55555 parent.exe parent-args), it was started (Process.Start) by another program as a part of the whole framework.
Basically, the workflow for developers who create child.dll is to create a dll that defines some APIs the framework needs. Then, inject the dll to the framework.
Right click on the library project, then on Project Options -> Run -> Custom Commands. In the combo, select Execute and enter the path to parent.exe. Now you'll be able to "run" the library, and the debugger will stop on breakpoints you put in the library code.
I'm curious about your thoughts on moving to a new IDE (specifically Eclipse). I have been hearing wonderful things about it from this community and I'm always on the lookout to try new things.
Currently I'm running Visual Studio 2005, with a bunch of external commands loaded (for compiling down to a binary, running lint, etc). We're developing C code for microcontrollers.
I've read over some of the other threads on here about the advantages and disadvantages to Eclipse and Visual Studio (specifically SO - best IDE thread and SO - best C IDE thread), but I'd like to hear your thoughts on using it for programming an embedded environment. I'd imagine that there is a simple way to use the external tools that Visual Studio currently uses (it simply calls various batch files that we've created).
Is it worth it to specifically switch over to Eclipse?
Answer to you question about way to call external tools: no problem - from eclispe you can anything: external program, batch file etc. Moreover, if you use custom build generator - you could use it transparent with eclipse.
I don't think I would switch from Visual Studio to Eclipse in hopes of getting a better IDE. Typically an embedded manufacturer makes plugins and toolchains that work specificially with Eclispe, that's what makes it worth using in the Embedded world. For example with the NetBurner plug-ins, when creating a new project you can just select New NetBurner Device Excecutable, or New NetBurner Library, all the default includes and libraries get set up for you and the proper cross platform tool chain is set up for you automatically. In the NetBurner case it also uses the Eclipse managed build process (as opposed to make files) which I find nice. There is also support for using make files if you prefer that option.
While I have a couple of tools set up to run as external tools (lint, an auto version updater, DOS prompt etc) most steps can be triggered from pre-build or post-build steps or there are many many add-ons for common needs like source code management, bug tracking, etc. There is great support for SVN, Trac and Mylyn for example. I use both VS2010 and Eclipse. I like them both but VS2010 is the better IDE. It's a little hard to compare because I do C# (and a little C++/CLI )in VS and C++ in Eclipse. That said, I wouldn't relish the though of trying set up VS to do my embedded tasks.
I have a DSL Tools solution.
I need to add a weak-named reference to this project.
Because the DSL Tools project DLL is strong-named i cannot used the weak-named DLL.
I cannot make the DLL strong-named because i cannot recompile it.
I tried to make my DSL Tools project DLL weak-named by going to the Dsl and DslPackage project properties and unchecked the option "Sign the assembly" in the Sigining tab.
Then i compile it.
The error list gives the following error
"gacutil.exe" exited with code 1
Looking at the VS2005 output window i see gacutil is being called
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\SDK\v2.0\bin\gacutil.exe -nologo -i "C:\Academy\ResearchAndDevelopment\FrontendGenerator\DslPackage\bin\Debug\vantyx.FEGenerator.DslPackage.dll"
After that i used the command prompt and the gacutil.exe error displays as this:
Z:\>"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\SDK\v2.0\bin\gacutil.exe" -nologo -i "C:\Academy\ResearchAndDevelopment\FrontendGenerator\DslPackage\bin\Debug\vantyx.FEGenerator.DslPackage.dll"
Failure adding assembly to the cache: Attempt to install an assembly without a strong name
I don't know why and how gacutil.exe is being called.
I looked at the project and solution properties and there is no option configured to call gacutil.exe.
I even looked inside every file for "gacutil.exe" but i found nothing.
What i really want is to be able to use the weak-named DLL that i cannot make strong-named.
As a result of this, i've been trying to make my DSL Tools DLL weak-named but i can't.
Any help on how i can workaround this?
Many thanks in advance,
Luís Filipe
Using runtime binding with reflexion is a good solution and works. The other solution I've implemented besides that one is to launch a separate AppDomain and have that AppDomain doing the loading of the assembly and running whatever methods you want. The downside of this approach is the extra complexity and performance. One really has to know what he is doing as he is in practice launching a separate .net application in Visual Studio's process space. The upside is that with some care, you can get type safety all the way.
With the exception of the answer written above,
All add-ins for Visual Studio must be strong-named.
One may workaround some of the issues by loading the assembly on run-time and using reflection to invoke methods.
Regards,
Luís
I am hoping someone can help me with this. What I have been looking around for but can't seem to find is if there is someway to add an event, or anything else that will allow a visual studio plug-in to watch for an external reference to be added to a currently open solution / project?
Or even better yet would anyone happen to know of an add-in that automatically adds all controls from a referenced dll into the visual studio toolbox?
Thanks.
Not exactly what you asked, but I've written a Visual Studio 2008 Integration Package, and if I recall correctly I could override the "add reference" method, as well as inherit the "reference node" and thus change its behavior, for example its constructor.
This functionality might be missing from an add-in (which is more limited than an integration package), so you might consider writing a package instead.
I have written a macro that will change a file reference to a project reference if you add the project to the solution (and vice versa), but I don't think that's what you want?