Automatically calling a method when a breakpoint is hit

Automatically calling a method when a breakpoint is hit

While debugging the applications in visual studio, in may instances it many require to call a specific method when a breakpoint is hit. It may be because of  just to verify some output or check some variables values. We can perform that part either using immediate window or execute those method in some other debugging session. However, all of them are a bit time consume! and while debugging we as a developer need to be very productive. So, here is one quick tip by which you can achieve the same in a smart way – just by using breakpoint itself.  Yes ! you can invoke a method automatically when breakpoint is hit using some advanced breakpoint options.

In this case, you need to use the  “When Hit” option from the break point context menu.

Breakpoint When Hit

Fig :  Select “When Hit” option from breakpoint context menu

This will bring the following “When Breakpoint Is Hit” dialog control

When Breakpoint Is Hit

Fig :  When Breakpoint Is Hit – Dialog Control

The main purpose of this screen is something different than what we are trying do achieve now! This screen is used for – print a message that can display the method name, process name, thread name etc when the breakpoint hit with “Print a message” check-box is checked.

To call a method,  you need to provide the method name by placing it in curly braces, with in the message text box. As shown in the following image, a breakpoint is set on the line no 14, and it is calling Method1(), when the breakpoint is getting hit.

Calling Method When Breakpoint Is Hit

Fig :  When Breakpoint Is Hit – Calling a Method

If you run the application, when the debugger reaches to the breakpoint, you will found the following output, where we can see the output of “Method1()”, whereas we haven’t called the method anywhere from the application.

Method Executed By the Debugger

Fig :  When Breakpoint Is Hit – Calling a Method  Output

So, you can call a method automatically irrespective of the method execution sequence with the breakpoint hit. You can also print some code variable, values using the same approach.  And, the best part is, it is already written with in the dialog window – that how we can use it with code variables !

Hope this will help you!

Thanks,

Abhijit

Abhijit Jana

Abhijit runs the Daily .NET Tips. He started this site with a vision to have a single knowledge base of .NET tips and tricks and share post that can quickly help any developers . He is a Former Microsoft ASP.NET MVP, CodeProject MVP, Mentor, Speaker, Author, Technology Evangelist and presently working as a .NET Consultant. He blogs at http://abhijitjana.net , you can follow him @AbhijitJana . He is the author of book Kinect for Windows SDK Programming Guide.