Debugging with Visual Studio

Debugging with Visual Studio is crucial for any developer. Visual Studio is an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) developed by Microsoft. It’s a powerful tool for developers to monitor the state of a variable and track its value changes as the program executes. By watching variables, developers can easily detect errors and troubleshoot issues in their code.

Step 1: Open the Code File

To start debugging, you need to open the code file by double-clicking on it. Once on the code page, choose a method or a function containing the variable you want to watch.

Step 2: Add a Breakpoint

Add a breakpoint at a line of code where you want to watch the variable. To do this, click on the greyed-out margin on the left side of the code editor. This will add a red dot, indicating the breakpoint is set.

Step 3: Open Debug Window

Now, it’s time to start debugging the project. Either press the F5 key or click the green “Start Debugging” button to begin debugging. Once the program breaks at the breakpoint you set in the previous step, you need to open the Debug Window. You can access the Debug Window from the menu bar by selecting Debug -> Windows -> Watch -> Watch 1 (you can create more Watch windows). Or you can use a shortcut key, which is Ctrl+Alt+W and then 1 (or any number of the Watch window you want to open).

Step 4: Add the Variable to Watch Window

In the Watch Window, you can see a list of variables and their current values. Now, you need to add the variable you want to watch. To do this, click on the empty row in the Watch Window, which will allow you to enter the name of the variable you want to watch. You can also highlight the variable from the code editor and drag it into the Watch Window.

Step 5: Examine the Variable’s Value

Once you’ve added the variable to the Watch Window, you’ll see its current value. As the program continues executing, you’ll see the variable’s value change in real-time. This provides a powerful insight into how the program is running and how variables are interacting with each other.

Step 6: Modify the Variable’s Value

In addition to monitoring the variable’s value, you can also modify its value while debugging. This is especially useful when you want to check how the program behaves under different conditions. To modify the variable’s value, double-click on its value in the Watch Window and enter the new value.

Step 7: Remove the Variable from Watch Window

When you finish debugging, you can remove the variable from the Watch Window. To do this, right-click on the variable in the Watch Window and select “Remove Watch”.

Conclusion

Watching variables is an essential part of debugging any project in Visual Studio. By following the steps outlined in this pillar article, you can easily monitor the state of any variable in your code and track its value changes as the program executes. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting with Visual Studio, mastering this skill will help you troubleshoot issues in your code and improve the overall quality of your projects.