Can't Activate the Exception Assistant

Question

Hi,

I have a fresh install of VS but I can't see the Exception Assistant when I'm debugging.  I have first chance exceptions turned on but whenever I an encouter an exception I simply get a traditional dialog box informing me of the exception instead of the actual Exception Assistant.  I have the Exception Assistant enabled though Tools->Options->Debugging but I still don't see it.

Here's a link to the actual dialog box I'm seeing.
Is there another setting somethere I'm missing?

Thanks in advance,
Jeremy

Answer 1

The dialog you are seeing is the native / interop first-chance exception dialog. This will happen if you are native debugging, or if you are interop debugging a managed application. If it is a managed application, you can disable interop debugging by right-mouse click the project node in solution explorer, going to properties, debug, and deselecting Enable Unmanaged Debugging. Of course, once you do that, you will only be able to debug managed code in the process.

 

HTH

 

Jackson

Answer 2

Hi Jackson,

Thanks for the quick response.  However, it looks like these option is unchecked in all of my project files  Also, this is a pure managed project.  Is there any chance this option is flipped elsewhere?  Potentially in the registry maybe?

Thanks!
Jeremy

Answer 3

Figured it out, I had to run Visual Studio from the command line with the resetskippgs switch like so...
>devenv /resetskippgs

I started having trouble updating a web service and google for the error.  That's how I found this.  I may have just had a flaky install (since I also had Web Service trouble) or it could be one of the plugins (R#, WSE, ?).  Either way, the /resetskippkgs switch fixed both issues and saved me a full day's reinstall.

thanks!
Jeremy

Answer 4

I had the same problem in a new install of VS 2008.  I am new to Visual Studio so I'm not sure what the significance of doing this might be, but I was able to get the exception assistant to appear by doing the following:

Go to Debug --> Exceptions...  (CTRL+ATL+E)

In the dialog box that appears, there are two columns of check boxes:  "Thrown" and "User-unhandled"

All the "Thrown" boxes were unchecked.  I checked them and re-ran the debugger and the exception assistant window started appearing like the tutorials said it would.