I've been using VisualMicro with AtmelStudio for several years, with few problems, EXCEPT....  I've never had ANY luck getting the debugger to work.  I've trialed it once or twice, but never could get it to work reliably enough to want to actually purchase it.

I'm now working on a relatively huge project (at least three or four dozen source files, over 200K of object code), and a debugger would be really nice. When I started AtmelStudio yesterday, I got the "update" dialog, telling me about a new version, and offering to install it, along with another debugger trial.  I clicked OK, and pretty much nothing happened  After A while, I just went to the website, and tried to download the update manually, but it appeared to me there was only a beta version for AtmelStudio 7, and I'm still on 6.2.  So, I instead downloaded the VS version, which installed in my VS2013 Community.  It works fine, as far as it goes, but still no debugger.  The help pages indicate some settings that need to be checked in the settings menus accessed through the "gear" button in SerialMonitor.  But that button is disabled in my SerialMonitor, so I am once again stumped.

Am I doing something wrong, or am I just jinxed?  I'd really like to get the debugger working, and buy a license, but I don't have a lot of time to mess around trying to get it to work....

Regards,
Ray L.

For a while, it was highlighting the source line containing the currently executed breakpoint, but that has just stopped working.  It is still breaking correctly, and the output window reflects the correct location, but the line is not highlighted....

The PC is connected via COM4, at 115200 BAUD.  That is Serial (Programming Port) on the Due I'm using.  The settings in Program Properties are set for this - COM4 for Local Port, Serial for Remote Port.  I also tried using the Native Port for Debugging, but that changed nothing.  Still no watch/data display.

Regards,
Ray L.

OK, I'm making progress, but still finding things I clearly don't grok....

The code is trivial:

int cnt = 0;

void loop(void)
{
    cnt++;
    printf("hello, world\n");
}
 

My breakpoint setup is:

Breakpoint on the printf
WhenHit = print a message showing the value of cnt
Condition = cnt > 10
HitCount = Break when HitCount is any multiple of 5

But the behavior is not what I expect.  I would expect the printf to happen 10 times, then break.  Doing a continue should then printf five more times then break, but instead breaks after only one more printf.  Also, the HitPoint count always displays (in the HitCount dialog) as zero.

Am I misunderstanding something here?  This is in VS2013.  With AtmelStudio, I have yet to get it to break at all when Condition and HitCount are set.

Regards,
Ray L.

Tim,

OK, makes sense.  Thanks!

Regards,
Ray L.

Great to hear that thanks!

As per my experience with it waht happens actually is the HitCount defaults to Milli seconds.
Also the HitCount can be switched from timer to counter in the project settings.
And the HitCount in the break dialog can be ignored, it's an internal Vs thing and we don't use the windows debugger.
cnt is never reset to 0 (Condition = cnt > 10)

assembly and pcb