Power Debugging with Visual Studio .NET

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Power Debugging withVisual Studio .NET
Direct3D Apps

• Dave Bartolomeo
• Software Design Engineer
• Third-Party Windows Gaming
• Microsoft Corporation

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DirectX extensions for Visual Studio

• Source-level debugging of vertex and pixel
  shaders
• Syntax highlighting for vertex and pixel shaders
• Additional debugger functionality specifically
  for Direct3D apps
• Debug Direct3D code and C/C code simultaneously

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Breakpoints

• File/Line Just hit F9 on the appropriate line
  in the source file
• Requires that shader be built with debug info (-1
  or -2 in vsa or psa)
• Code Address Either hit F9 on the appropriate
  instruction in the Disassembly window, or enter
  address manually (ltShaderHandlegtltInstrIndexgt)

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Breakpoints (cont.)

• BeginScene/EndScene Enter either BeginScene
  or EndScene as name of function

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Watch Window Expressions

• DeviceState Shows render states and texture
  stage states
• RegisterName Shows value of shader register
• The standard debugger floating-point format
  specifiers work (e.g. r0,g)
• Additional format specifier ,w displays all
  components divided by fourth component

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Watch Windows Expressions (cont.)

• PixelPos Shows x/y position of pixel currently
  being processed

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Render Target Window

• Shows current contents of the render target
  surface
• Render target must be lockable

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Texture Windows

• One window for each texture stage
• Shows current contents of the texture selected
  into that stage
• Texture must be lockable

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Call to Action

• Install it now!
• Pre-beta version is included on your DirectX
  Developer Day CD