Visual Debugger for Geometric Objects

Question

When working on my library representing geometric objects, Debugging currently looks like this:

Here I am viewing the local variables in the Autos, Locals, Watch and Immediate windows.

As I have trouble imagining the shape of the object in my mind, I would prefer a graphical component to represent these objects. So I have started creating a Debugger Visualizer to draw the objects. I have it in a public repo on bitbucket here.

Right now I cannot get it to work outside of the Console Application I have in the solution with it. What am I doing wrong?

here is what it looks like when it works:

Also, How can I do this in a way that will allow me to view multiple objects at a time. I realized that I really want to see multiple objects and their interactions, instead of just the single objects. (e.g Look for intersections and such).

P.S.

Has anyone seen a debugger extension anywhere like this? or have any suggestions of how I can fix my current one?

I have attempted this in the form of a Visual Studio Extension with no success as well. See this question for more details.

Flacon

do you know the Immediate Window? – Pathan

the Immediate Window can help you, Create a function for this and call it on Immediate Window. I always use the Immediate Window, this is very very better than others – Pathan

Not sure I understand what your envisioning in this function you suggest.. In this function I would have to create and open a form to draw on, yes? – Flacon

even you can do this. This is a very very powerful tool – Pathan

I think what you are looking for debugger visualizer! – Cloudberry

I tried your repro but got stuck on line 46 of PointVisualizer: Type 'GeometryClassLibrary.Point' in Assembly 'GeometryClassLibrary, Version=1.0.5381.24470, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null' is not marked as serializable. – Trichroism

Answer 1

One possible option for you would be downloading the compiled DLL from

Graphics Debugger Visualizer

and decompressing them into your Debugger\Visualizers folder. Somewhere like

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 12.0\Common7\Packages\Debugger\Visualizers\

Then restart your visual Studio. As soon soon you start debugging you will see Graphic debugger sign next to the run-time value of the Graphics variable as described in the codeproject solution I mentioned earlier.

Update 1: I also highly recommend you to have a look at the following blog where S.Ullah the author of Custom Visual Studio Visualizer illustrates how to create a visualizer for in memory graphics:

Custom Visual Studio Visualizer

There used to be commercially available product called Mole however it is no longer available for new buyers(I don't know why)

Topsyturvy

Agreed it's bad to down vote without a clarification, so up voted to counter :) – Desmonddesmoulins