__debugbreak() in Metro apps

Question

I'm trying to debug a problem with launching a Metro app via a file association, but __debugbreak() seems to have no effect. How can I break into execution at startup so I can trace what's going wrong?

Answer 1

In the Visual Studio Project Properties you can set the Debug options to attach when the app starts running rather than to launch the application.

--Rob

Answer 2

I'm not sure what you mean here. The only Debugging option I see that looks similar to this is "Launch Application", and setting it to "No" doesn't seem to make any difference. The app still doesn't open in the debugger when it launches, and _debugbreak() still doesn't do anything.

Answer 3

instead of __debugbreak() try using _asm int 3;

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Aptexan

Answer 4

No, int 3 doesn't work either (isn't that what _debugbreak() does, anyway?).

Answer 5

Rob, I've resolved my startup problem, but I still see this as an issue. If _debugbreak() doesn't work in Metro, there doesn't seem to be any way to debug problems at startup when the app is started via a file or protocol activation.

Answer 6

Hi cdunford,

I found that:

_asm int 3;

__debugbreak();

as a pair seem to work for me.  Either one on it's own does pretty much nothing, but when put together __debugbreak is actually evoked.

weird.. hope this helps you

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Jim Tomasko