I have also posted this on the MSDN forum here: MSDN Forum Post
When using the /clr option with a Visual Studio C++ project, the debug visualizer for std::string and other types don't seem to be working. Here are the steps:
- Launch VS2012 or 2013
- Create a new Visual C++ / Win32 Console Application
- In the main .CPP file, add:
#include <string> - In the main method, add:
std::string s = "abc"; - Debug the program and inspect the variable 's'. Notice how it shows the string "abc". This is what we want.
- Open the project properties / General. Set "Common Language Runtime Support" = "Common Language Runtime Support (/clr)"
- Debug the program and inspect the variable 's'. Now the string "abc" does not appear.
Further info:
I can see debug visualizer definitions for std::basic_string in both the autoexp.dat and stl.natvis files for Visual Studio. However it appears to be ignoring these when /clr is used. One way I'm confirming that it's actually ignoring these definitions is by putting extra text in them. When /clr is not used, VS shows the text in preview; with /clr on, it does not.
There are other similar threads about this such as:
- Visual Studio 2013 C++: STL container's elements display in debugger
- Other links in the MSDN post; stackoverflow won't let me post more yet.
However, all of these threads seems to indicate that autoexp.dat and/or natvis files are used and can be modified. In my case, I believe these files are being completely ignored when /clr is used.
Does anyone know of a work-around?
