Perfect Source Everytime You Debug

Do you want to know how to get the exact version of the source file when live debugging or reading minidumps? My Bugslayer column, which was turned into an article, on Source Server has finally made it to the August 2006 issue of MSDN Magazine! They even kept my super cool title: Use the Source, Luke. <very big smile>.

Armed with Source Server, both WinDBG (native C++) and Visual Studio 2005 (native C++ and .NET) will automatically grab the correct version from your version control system so you never have to guess again. Microsoft has been using Source Server internally for a couple of years and it’s a huge godsend. Now you’ll know how to get it set up so you to can debug faster to get out of work earlier. No more wondering what the heck version of the source file you need. Also, no more playing games with the debugger to get it to load source files from a different location. Now everything works like you always thought it should!

The version of the Source Server tools I used hasn’t been released yet by Microsoft. Keep an eye on the WinDBG download area as a new release is really, really close. Keep an eye on Wintellog as I’ll let you know when it’s up. Also, at the time I wrote the column/article, there was no support for Visual Studio Team System. However, we’ll all be suprised in the upcoming WinDBG download.

As I’ve been screaming for years for everyone to get a Symbol Server set up, now there’s one more thing for me to scream about!