Execute an application in Debug mode on flex pendant

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1

Hello,
I have developed a c# application that can be executed in the flex pendant. Is possible to execute in debug mode the application using the virtual flex pendant? I try to start the virtual flex pendant and connect the solution (from visual studio) to the process VirtualFlexPendant.exe, but I can’t insert a breakpoint of see where is the program pointer.
Anyone have a suggestion?

Thanks in advance.
Nicola

2

Hello Nicola,

The virtual Flexpendant uses the .Net Framework 4.x, which is not supported by Visual Studio 2008.
For this reason, you must use a newer version of Visual Studio to debug the Virtual FlexPendant.

For this reason you need to do the following:

  • Create your app in Visual Studio 2008 in debug mode

  • Copy your DLL’s into the home folder of your virtual controller

  • Launch the Virtual Flexpendant

  • Launch Visual Studio 2019

  • Don’t load the VS project, but each C# file of your VS2008 separately.

  • Open the menu “Debug” and select “Attach to process”.

  • Connect to the Virtual FlexPendant.

  • Now you should be able to set a breakpoint for your code.
    Best regards
    Micky

3

Hello Micky,
thanks for the answer and sorry for the long time to comment. I try your solution, but the breakpoint are disabled with the message “the current breakpoint will not be hit no symbols have been loaded”. Have you any idea to solve this issue?

Thanks a lot
Regards
Nicola

4

Hi Nicola,

I had exactly the same problem as you described with break points not working after attaching Visual Studio 2008 debugger to the Virtual FlexPendant (Robotware 5.15).
Thankfully, Micky’s solution of using Visual Studio 2019 to actually debug solved the problem for me - so it seems even though you build the DLLs in Visual Studio 2008, you should use Visual Studio 2019 to debug.
Thanks Micky!

This is actually a documented compatibility issue related to VisualStudio 2008 being unable to able attach to and debug a .NET 4.0 application. VirtualFlexPendant.exe distributed with RobotStudio 5.15 and later are built with .NET 4.0.
See:
“Release Notes FlexPendant SDK 6.11”

https://robotapps.blob.core.windows.net/apps/f428e262-8c04-41e4-bc21-8a48364352f7Release%20Notes%20FlexPendant%20SDK%206.11.pdf

Regards
Jacques