Symbols, Debugging, Options Dialog Box

To access the Symbols page, select Options on the Tools menu. In the Options dialog box, expand the Debugging node and select Symbols. This page lets you set the following general debugging options.

Security noteSecurity Note:

You must consider the following potential security threats when you use Source Server:Arbitrary commands can be embedded in the application's PDB file. Therefore, make sure that you put only the commands that you want to execute in the srcsrv.ini file. Any attempt to execute a command not in the srcsvr.ini file will cause a confirmation dialog box to appear. For more information, see Security Warning: Debugger Must Execute Untrusted Command.No validation is performed on command parameters; therefore, be careful with trusted commands. For example, if you trusted cmd.exe, a malicious user might specify parameters that would make the command dangerous.

  • Symbol file (.pdb) locations
    A list of locations where the debugger will look for symbol files. Locations can include directories, URLs, shares, and symbol server locations. (C/C++ users, see DBG Files for more information.)

    This list should contain only known and trusted locations. Loading symbols from untrusted locations can have harmful effects, as described in the previous Security Note.

  • Folder icon button
    Click this button to create a new location in the list.

  • "X" icon button
    Select a location in the list and click this button to remove the directory from the list.

  • Up-arrow icon button
    When a directory is selected in the list, click this button to move up the list.

  • Down-arrow icon button
    When a directory is selected in the list, click this button to move down the list.

  • Cache symbols from symbols server to this directory
    You can use a local directory to increase debugger performance when you use symbols from a server. This directory will hold symbols for system software obtained from a symbols server. Caching symbols will increase disk usage. Caching is especially useful if you are using a symbol server over the Internet. Notice that, if you are debugging a program on a remote computer, the cache directory refers to a directory on the remote computer.

  • Browse
    This button lets you browse and select the directory to use for the previous item.

  • Search the above locations only when symbols are loaded manually
    When selected, the debugger loads symbols from the listed locations only when you do a manual symbol load. Default locations, including the .EXE location, are still searched automatically. If this setting is not selected, the debugger searches the listed locations every time that a module is loaded.

  • Load symbols using the above locations
    Click this button to immediately load symbols from locations listed in Symbol file (.pdb) locations.

    This button is not available in design mode.

  • Load symbols from Microsoft symbol servers
    Click this button to immediately load symbols from the Microsoft symbol servers. (Accessing the Microsoft symbol servers requires an Internet connection.) For more information, see How to: Use a Symbol Server.

    This button is not available in design mode.

See Also

Tasks

How to: Specify a Symbol Path

How to: Use a Symbol Server

Reference

Debugging, Options Dialog Box