Debugging is a great thing… Often though I’ve drempt of some greater, more useful debugger. It would have helped if I’d actually gone out and looked for such a thing.
Anyway, I haven’t found a better debugger. I’ve found how to use the current one better! I’ve enabled client-side script debugging, which is fantastic. No more using IE or Firefoxes vague error messages, I can now step through code just as you would VB/C#.Net. The big one for me though has to be the ability to debug Stored Procedures, yes SQL Server Stored Procedures. Breakpoints, step-through, the lot.
Client-side debugging is so obvious I was kicking my self when I got it working. All you need to do is go into Tools > Internet Options > Advanced and check the “Enable Client-Side Debugging” in Internet explorer. You may need to do some jiggery-pokery in VS but I can’t remeber what.
SqlServer is a bit more complicated, you need to copy the mssdi98.dll from your [visual studio installation]\sqlserver folder into your sqlserver instances binn folder. Then open up Enterprise Manager and grant Exec permissions to the user you use to log-in (or the Builtin\Administrators group) for the extended procedure sp_sdidebug. Lastly in your project options in VS mark the Enable Sql Debugging. That should be it, from the server explorer in VS you should now be able to choose “step-into” from any stored procedure, function or trigger!
Productivity++