How to manually debug crashes with VisualStudio

1. Go to Debug -> Options and Settings… ClickMe

   Go inside Debugging -> General ClickMe

   [v] Show disassembly if source is not available

2. On UserInterface -> Properties ClickMe

   Go inside Linker -> Debugging ClickMe

   • Generate Debug Info -> Yes (/DEBUG)
   • ~Map Exports -> Yes (/MAPINFO:EXPORTS)~ (not required)
   • Debuggable Assembly -> Yes (/ASSEMBLYDEBUG)

3. Compile and execute the launcher.

4. Debug -> Attach to Process… ClickMe

   metin2client.exe -> Attach ClickMe

5. When you will get a crash (or “??????”) you will get the Call Stack ClickMe

6. To disable all: ClickMe

   On UserInterface -> Properties

   Go inside Linker -> Debugging

   • Generate Debug Info -> No
   • Map Exports -> No
   • Debuggable Assembly -> No (/ASSEMBLYDEBUG:DISABLE)

Note: Whether the target is set on Release or Debug, it’s irrelevant

How to start a debugging session without attaching

1. Go to the Solution’s property and choose UserInterface as the main project. ClickMe

2. On UserInterface -> Properties -> Debug, change the working directory to your client path. ClickMe

3. Now 1) press the green arrow or 2) f5 or 3) Debug->Start debug (visual studio will ask admin privileges due to the launcher’s manifests) and enjoy the debugging.

How to copy the built launcher and start a debugging session automatically elsewhere

Lazy to copy the launcher from bin to client (local debugging path), then start the debugger? This can be automated.

1. On UserInterface -> Properties -> General -> Output Directory, the path must have \\ slashes and NO / ones.

2. On UserInterface -> Properties -> Build Events -> Post compilation events -> Command-line: ClickMe

   copy /y "$(TargetPath)" "$(LocalDebuggerWorkingDirectory)$(TargetFileName)"

Now you can press Play (F5) directly.

Issues

1. The debugger can’t attach properly to the launcher if the “python” module of Visual Studio has been installed from Visual Studio Installer.

2. If it doesn’t start the debugger at all, disable the Microsoft Symbols from Debug -> Debug -> Symbols ClickMe

3. If the debug target can’t read the .pdb files (Debug -> Windows -> Modules Window)

   • For Debug target:

     Try on UserInterface -> Properties -> Linker -> Debug -> Generate database -> $(IntDir)$(TargetName).pdb

   • For Release target:

     Try on UserInterface -> Properties -> Linker -> Debug -> Generate database -> $(TargetDir)$(TargetName).pdb