[SOLVED] Debugging in VS Code

[enricodegan]

Hello,

I’m going through the old Bulls and Cows section with VS Code instead of Visual Studio. Most of the journey has been pretty fluid until I hit debugging. I found the VS Code docs that explained how to debug. So I followed and the instructions: I uploaded my Bulls and Cows folder to VS Code and I created a launch.json file (which is shown below). Now I don’t understand what to do.

• What do I put in as the app.js? Do I need to put the full directory or only main.cpp?
• Is there anything else I need to change?

launch.json:

    // Use IntelliSense to learn about possible attributes.
    // Hover to view descriptions of existing attributes.
    // For more information, visit: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=830387
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [

        {
            "name": "(gdb) Launch",
            "type": "cppdbg",
            "request": "launch",
            "program": "${workspaceFolder}/app.js", // I don't know what goes here
            "args": [],
            "stopAtEntry": false,
            "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
            "environment": [],
            "externalConsole": false,
            "MIMode": "gdb",
            "miDebuggerPath": "/path/to/gdb",
            "setupCommands": [
                {
                    "description": "Enable pretty-printing for gdb",
                    "text": "-enable-pretty-printing",
                    "ignoreFailures": true
                }
            ]
        }
    ]

Thanks,
Enrico

[DanM]

“program”: “${workspaceFolder}/app.js”, // I don’t know what goes here

That is the path to the executable you compiled. So the path to the .exe

[enricodegan]

Hi Dan,

I don’t really understand what you mean by the “executable.” Is that main.cpp? Also, I can’t find anything in my Bulls and Cows folder that ends with .exe. Since I don’t understand could you give me an example?
Also, how should I write the path? In the aforementioned website they give the following example:

            "program": "${workspaceFolder}/node_modules/gulp/bin/gulpfile.js",

So should mine look like:

            "program": "${workspaceFolder}/C:/Users/enric/Documents/gamedevUnreal/BullsCowGame_original/main.cpp",

I’m not so sure that’s correct, but that is the full path to main.cpp (if I do need to use main.cpp).
Finally is there anything else I need to change in the launch.json file?

Thanks for the help!
Enrico

[enricodegan]

I figured it out. Thanks for the help Dam.

If anyone else has trouble here is my solution:

Debugging in VS Code

https://code.visualstudio.com/Docs/editor/debugging

Step 1: Open the folder your project is in in VS Code

This should be the result:

Now that VS Code knows the folder that you are working in, you can begin starting the debugging process.

---

Step 2: Create a launch.json:

Open the debugging view (shown below) located in the Activity Bar on the left side of VS Code, or press Ctrl+Shift+D. The debugger shows all the information related to debugging.

To debug, you have to create a debugging configuration in a launch.json file. The launch.json file is located in a folder called .vscode (but this information is not important to debugging). To create a launch.json, click the Configure Gear icon on the Debug view top bar.

Alternatively, you can click the drop down menu with the green play button beside it that says “No Configurations.” Then click “Add Configuration…” so create a launch.json.

If VS Code doesn’t detect a debug environment (which it didn’t in my case), you will have to choose it manually:

• After doing either of the actions above a drop down menu will appear to the right of whatever you just clicked with several options.
• The drop down menu is called “Select Environment.”
• IMPORTANT: Choose C++ Windows as the environment, NOT C++ gdb (or whatever the option is. )

This is VERY important because you do not have the GDB debugger installed (by default) (http://www.gdbtutorial.com/). Therefore, you have to use the other Windows debugger. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP!

---

Step 3: Configure the launch.json file:

After clicking on “C++ (Windows)” the launch.json file should be created:

The penultimate action is to configure the file.

The only line you have to change is one labeled “program,” otherwise seen as this:

“program”: “enter program name, for example ${workspaceFolder}/a.exe”,

This has to be changed to:

“program”: “${workspaceFolder}/main.exe”,

or the program name you are trying to debug.

Note: <${workspaceFolder}> is actually a variable and nothing has to be changed. What this does is it just calls the folder you are working in (in this case: <BullsCowGame_original>) and uses that as a directory to find the file you are trying to debug.

• Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWIs6Kv1MvE

IMPORTANT Note: Although your file is called <main.cpp> it has to be changed to <main.exe>

• I do not know the reason for this, but I believe it has something to do with that a .exe file is executable while .cpp is not. That’s why the <main.exe> is called the “executable file path.”

Remember to save the configuration.

If you want more information on personalizing the launch.json:

https://code.visualstudio.com/Docs/editor/debugging#_launchjson-attributes

---

Step 4: Debug!

Before beginning to debug, you must add a breakpoint to your code to be able stop the code at any point. It is added by clicking on a line of code to the left of the line-number. The breakpoint shows up as a red dot:

If you want more information about breakpoints, log points, etc.:

https://code.visualstudio.com/Docs/editor/debugging#_breakpoints

https://code.visualstudio.com/Docs/editor/debugging#_logpoints

and advanced breakpoints:

https://code.visualstudio.com/Docs/editor/debugging#_advanced-breakpoint-topics

Now, you can begin debugging by pressing the green play button under the debugging view. It is located to the right of “DEBUG” in capital letters. The launch.json file name (listed as <“name”:> in the file) should show up the right of the play button.

• For example:
  • Note: by default the name is “(Windows) Launch” but I decided to change the name to “(Windows) Debugger.” To change the name that appears next to the play button type whatever name you want into the quotation marks to the right of <“name”:> in the launch.json file.
    • Ex. <“name”: “(Windows) Debugger”,>

Next press the green button to begin the debugging process.

Once the green button is clicked three things should happen simultaneously.

1. A bar, like the one shown below, should appear in the top center of the screen. It has six buttons:

A closer view of the bar:

From left to right:

• Continue / pause (F5)
• Step Over (F10) // I don’t know what these do (yet)
• Step Into (F11) // I don’t know what these do (yet)
• Step Out (Shift+F11) // I don’t know what these do (yet)
• Restart (Ctrl+Shift+F5)
• Stop (Shift+F5) - This terminates the debugging session

2. The “DEBUG CONSOLE” should pop up. It should first appear with some orange text and then begin your program normally.

3. The bar at the bottom of VS Code, which is normally blue (or another color based on your color theme) will change to orange. On the left hand side will appear the name of your debugger with the folder name in parentheses.

Now you can begin debugging!

Thanks,
Enrico

[enricodegan]

Hi @DanM,

I’m actually still having some trouble with debugging in VS Code. This time I’m having problems with something called an “Unverified Breakpoint.” When I enter debugging mode the normal red circle turns into a gray circle with a hole in the middle:

I’m not sure what to do about this.
I’ve searched on the internet, but have found nothing. Especially nothing that I can understand at my level. In addition, most of the responses I’ve found either haven’t found a solution or are not in C++.
Any help is appreciated!

Thanks,
Enrico

[DanM]

Separate topic for this issue here: [HELP] How to fix Unverified Breakpoints