OK, I've gotten the project to build. Now, how do I debug and step through?

[AltitudeApps]

I'm not even sure which project I should attempt to launch. There are eight choices for projects in the debug launch dropdown for this solution, but AppInstallerCLI is not one of them. AppInstallerCLIPackage is the one that seems closest, but when I launch it, a console window appears, some text is blasted to the window, but then it immediately closes before I can read it. It looks like it might be the "usage" text that winget displays if you don't give it any arguments.

If I modify the debug start options on the project's property page, it does perform the usual functions one would expect when doing a winget list command.

So, the project is getting launched, but no breakpoints are being respected. AppInstallerCLIPackage doesn't really have any source code, so I've tried to set breakpoints in the source of other projects. Places like inside the function WindowsPackageManagerCLIMain(int argc, wchar_t const** argv). I've tried others as well.

The program launches, and I see Visual Studio alter which panels are displayed to show the watch window and call stack, but the command window just shows the usual behavior one sees when executing a winget list operation, and then it immediately closes. Then Visual Studio returns to its usual "editing source files" layout.

What do I do to set breakpoints and step through the program?

[mdanish-kh]

I'm not even sure which project I should attempt to launch

That would be the AppInstallerCLIPackage

but then it immediately closes before I can read it

In the command-line arguments, add --wait at the end of any command that you execute

The compiled code is also available to you via a wingetdev command in your normal terminal session if you click on Deploy Solution. Any time you rebuild and deploy, the updated changes would be available via the wingetdev command

Places like inside the function WindowsPackageManagerCLIMain(int argc, wchar_t const** argv). I've tried others as well.

The starting point of the program is in src/AppInstallerCLI/main.cpp

What do I do to set breakpoints and step through the program?

To enable breakpoints for step-through debugging, go to AppInstallerCLIPackage Debug Properties. In the Debugger type selection, change "Application process" and "Background task process" to "Native Only".

[AltitudeApps]

Perfect, thanks. I had to take out the --info --wait, I just put list. Now it is hitting my breakpoint. :)

I will figure out --info --wait later on today.

The key part I was missing was:

In the Debugger type selection, change "Application process" and "Background task process" to "Native Only".

[mdanish-kh]

I chose --info as an example command. --wait is a global argument that you can add to the end of any command. Helpful if you want to Start without debugging, but see the output when it finishes. It may be easier to just deploy the complied code & invoke wingetdev if you're doing it this way

[mdanish-kh]

@AltitudeApps You may find Do not launch, but debug my code when it starts to be a more useful setting as opposed to doing --wait as mentioned in this PR comment