symbols are created but debugging never stops at break point

Question

How do I get my breakpoints working?

I am getting this message when running a C# console app in debug mode:

The breakpoint will not currently be hit. No symbols have been loaded for this document.

Here are other specs related to this issue:

Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2015 Version 14.0.25123.00 Update 2 Microsoft .NET Framework Version 4.6.01055

Installed Version: Professional

ASP.NET and Web Tools 2015.1 (Beta8) 14.1.11106.0 ASP.NET and Web Tools 2015.1 (Beta8)

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ASP.NET Web Frameworks and Tools 2013 5.2.40314.0 For additional information, visit http://www.asp.net/

Code alignment 12.1 Code alignment helps you present your code beautifully, enhancing clarity and readability.

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Common Azure Tools 1.7 Provides common services for use by Azure Mobile Services and Microsoft Azure Tools.

ConfigurationTransform 1.3 Automatically transform app.config during build process. Once the transformation is set, it will run on other build machines without the extension.

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Microsoft Azure Mobile Services Tools 1.4 Microsoft Azure Mobile Services Tools

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Here are my debugging settings:

Here are my settings for the projects:

Here are the packages I am using:

 <package id="EntityFramework" version="6.1.3" targetFramework="net452" />
  <package id="log4net" version="2.0.3" targetFramework="net452" />
  <package id="Magnum" version="2.1.3" targetFramework="net452" />
  <package id="MassTransit" version="2.9.9" targetFramework="net452" />
  <package id="MassTransit.Log4Net" version="2.9.9" targetFramework="net452" />
  <package id="MassTransit.MSMQ" version="2.9.0" targetFramework="net452" />
  <package id="Newtonsoft.Json" version="6.0.6" targetFramework="net452" />

Other references not covered by nuget:

The solution is made up of 2 projects: consoleProject, classLibraryProject.
consoleProject references classLibraryProject.
When going to debug->windows->Modules for classLibraryProject I am getting the message "Could not find or open the PDB file.
When manually building the PDB for classLibraryProject and moving it into the bin\Debug for consoleProject, then I get a symbol status of "Symbols Loaded." **However, the breakpoints are not honored. **
Yes, I am certain that the code is triggered because the side effects of the code are visible.

How do I get my breakpoints working?

I almost feel like if you haven't experienced this problem then you haven't been to the school of hard knocks. I get this all the time. I usually just violently shake my machine until it decides to work. — DotNetRussell, Apr 28 '16 at 17:54
I guess you cleaned the entire solution, rebuilt and restarted VS? — Mattias Åslund, Apr 28 '16 at 18:01
Go to Tools | Options | Debugging | Just-in-Time and uncheck everything but script. — Chris O, May 01 '16 at 18:00
Is this behavior specific to this given application? Or this happens for all solutions in your VS install? — Tamas, May 01 '16 at 18:41
I can't see any strange settings in your setup. I'd simplify the solution to create a minimal repro. Then start from scratch, add the references, create the same repro and see if that produces the same behavior. I'd also check the csproj files and app.config for any strange settings. — Tamas, May 01 '16 at 19:05
When you compile, PDB files (for both projects) are created in bin/debug folder? are you running any post build steps changing anything? — Arturo Menchaca, May 02 '16 at 19:04
If you haven't already, can you try these instructions: http://stackoverflow.com/a/14075051/2346893 — Gokhan Kurt, May 03 '16 at 10:58
Hard to guess how you "manually build the PDB" or why it has to be copied by hand. At bullet 3, right click the DLL in the modules list and select "Symbol Load Information". Paste what you see in your question. Do not obfuscate anything. — Hans Passant, May 03 '16 at 15:02
Do you use Code Contracts? If they are enabled turn them off. — Alois Kraus, May 03 '16 at 20:10
how are you referring the classlibrary from the consoleproject? project reference or dll reference? As @Artyom mentions in his answer, reference is not seen in the screenshot you shared. — Krishna Chaithanya Muthyala, May 05 '16 at 06:15

Artyom · Answer 1 · 2016-05-14T22:39:47.210

I just created new console app + class library. Please be sure that console app has reference on class library (like on image)

I wrote that because I don't see that on your screens.

Than plz right click on solution and select "properties..." You will see smth like that: Check that configuration + platform are equal for your projects and that checkboxes 'Build' are both selected. If that checkboxes are selected then after 'clean build' of you solution you will see smth like that in the bin\Debug folder of colsole app:

Please notice that class library has 2 files (highlighted on screen): dll + pdb. In that case dll+pdb are in synchro state and your breakepoints will work in class library code.

If you have no pdb file for class library project after build than may be your reference on class library is NOT a reference on a VS project. Please check that you added reference correctly (like on image):

DO NOT reference on dll file of class library directly via 'Browse' dialog.

You can check that your console app refenced correctly on class library project - please open console app csproj file on edit and look on reference:

If you have BAD refence (on a .dll file):

than delete that reference via context menu in VS and add a correct one.

I hope that will help you.

Dick Bos · Answer 2 · 2016-05-03T14:03:54.750

1

You have my sympathy for trying to fix this. When I compare settings with mine I find 2 differences in Debugging|General:

check: Suppress JIT optimization on module load
uncheck: Load dll exports

The first one may fix your problem.

edited May 03 '16 at 14:03

answered May 03 '16 at 09:11

Dick Bos

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score 1 · Answer 3 · answered May 03 '16 at 17:11

1

There are different reasons why this could happen. I had the same problem and one of the possible solutions was to delete all .pdb and .idb files

answered May 03 '16 at 17:11

bns

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score 1 · Answer 4 · answered May 04 '16 at 07:07

1

did you try unchecking the option Debugging > general > Require source file to exactly match the original version ?

answered May 04 '16 at 07:07

Rajdeep

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I did not but why why would I? – Alex Gordon May 04 '16 at 10:02
sometimes the source code are different then the code loaded in bin while debugging, so it hinders in debugging, you can try this one. – Rajdeep May 04 '16 at 10:31
Very interesting. Will try and let you know – Alex Gordon May 04 '16 at 11:38
did you try that? any luck? – Rajdeep May 07 '16 at 03:24

PeterS · Answer 5 · 2016-05-06T09:26:24.597

Just thinking out loud, I have come across the following that has meant no debugging: These are general situations and not particular to any environment.

System running low on memory and so the JIT does not go into debugging mode. Increase where possible memory settings for the server.
Deployment is not replacing the old version somehow, bypass the build script and physically remove the artefact manually. Create a new artefact and deploy that also manually.
Build scripts are not overwritting old classes/binaries and these are being sourced from a maven style cache or other warehouse. Remove any references to these files and try again.
Classes are being built but these are not being wrapped up into the final object, again remove the final object and adjust the build script to remove this error.
Versioning (some servers) is not allowing the new artefact to be deployed, ensure the version is incremented per deploy and try again.
The server you are deploying on is not where you are connecting to per debug session, either wrong port or other listening issue. Stop the server to see if the session is indeed where you think it is.
Also from versioning, if your dated artefact is not in line with the server date - so an hour behind for example then it may not deploy again or the deployments will be erratic.

If I think of others I will be post here.

score 1 · Answer 6 · answered May 05 '16 at 16:18

I've had this problem in framework code before. Try this:

Go to Debug -> Windows -> Breakpoints
In the Breakpoint window, click New -> Break at Function
Enter the fully-qualified method name.

That should at least get you a breakpoint at the start of the method that you can then step through.

Note that I always get an error message that tells me the breakpoint won't work when I use this technique. But it works anyway.

Note that I did have valid symbols loaded, so be sure to use your setup that tells you your symbols are loaded.

score 1 · Answer 7 · answered May 06 '16 at 18:58

I don't see where you are attaching to both processes. Visual Studio by default will only attach to the startup project. It appears that consoleProject is your startup project. After you start debugging consoleProject use the Debug menu and select "Attach to Process..." and choose the process corresponding to classLibraryProject. The breakpoints will now be available.

Ctl+Alt+P is the shortcut key for this.

score 0 · Answer 8 · answered May 06 '16 at 07:02

I had a problem just like this not too long ago ... and I am not really sure which of the things I performed actually solved the problem.

But what I can tell is that I found that (although the packages.config entries were looking ok) several (!) used libraries were not in the proper .net version (net461 in my case).

I used a tool called Target Framework Migrator to fix this. You can get it through Tools => extensions and updates => Online => Visual Studio Gallery

and then type Target Framework Migrator in the Search Field.

I do remember, that I also upgraded .Net to 4.6.1 during my attempts to fix the problem ... maybe you could try this too ... but in any case running the Target Framework Migrator for your own Libraries (and restarting VS 2015 on the way) is definitely worth a try.

Good luck!

score 0 · Answer 9 · answered Mar 31 '19 at 12:50

My solution was to click on that button which is to the left of the device button,

And I selected edit scheme from the drop down menu

I then selected Run from the list on the left of the pop-up, and checked the box "debug executable" (it was unchecked previously)

score -1 · Answer 10 · answered Apr 28 '16 at 17:53

-1

Make sure your configuration is set to Debug, not Release.

Try this if above is correct: Tools->Options->Debugging->Symbols and check "Microsoft Symbol Servers"

answered Apr 28 '16 at 17:53

Matt Schley

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score -1 · Answer 11 · answered May 06 '16 at 18:50

-1

With anomalies like this it is well worth cleaning the solution (including manually deleting bin and obj folders then rebooting.

answered May 06 '16 at 18:50

Brian Leeming

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symbols are created but debugging never stops at break point

11 Answers11