Brief introduction to Windows' debugger.

You can also start in a debugger.

windbg or ntsd (ntsd is a console program and maybe installed). Both are also from Debugging Tools For Windows.

Download and install Debugging Tools for Windows

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/hh852363

Install the Windows SDK but just choose the debugging tools.

Create a folder called Symbols in C:\

Start Windbg. File menu - Symbol File Path and enter

srv*C:\symbols*http://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols

then

windbg -o -g -G c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe /k batfile.bat

You can press F12 to stop it and kb will show the call stack (g continues the program). If there's errors it will also stop and show them.



Type lm to list loaded modules, x *!* to list the symbols and bp symbolname to set a breakpoint

F12           - break into program
g             - continue
p             - Step
kb            - list call stack
lm            - list loaded modules
x *!*         - list all symbols
ln <address>  - lists the nearest symbols to that address - used when you have a crash address
bp symbolname - sets a breakpoint
da <address>  - displays the ascii data found at that address
dda <address> - displays the value of the pointer
dv            - display local variables
kv 10         - displays last 10 stack frames



If programming in VB6 then this environmental variable link=/pdb:none stores the symbols in the dll rather than seperate files. Make sure you compile the program with No Optimisations and tick the box for Create Symbolic Debug Info. Both on the Compile tab in the Project's Properties.

Also CoClassSyms (microsoft.com/msj/0399/hood/hood0399.aspx) can make symbols from type libraries.
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