Hi,

Please confirm the following:-

1. which version of atmel studio
2. after the error does a code file open at all?
3. close the project and create a new standard atmel gcc application project (not arduino). can you open the code file(s) in the new project?
4. please supply screen shot of the ide with a project open and the error on screen

Thanks

Sounds like the cpp files in your project are mapped to the wrong location. The is a small icon on the solution explorer to switch between the two different file views of any atmel project. Is it possible the files don't exist? did you check the path of the file(s) in the F4 properties.

Visual Micro offers the simple udb debugger and also integrates with the atmel studio hardware debuggers if you have one. Take a look at the atmel7 page on visualmicro.com to see how to combine arduino with atmel device (hardware) programming. It does sound like you need the hardware debugging which allows live expression watch and update, stack trace etc

Thanks 

If you have an .ino file in your project then you are using visual micro for build and upload. Atmel studio does not compile projects that contain arduino .ino files.

What I think you need to do is to look at how to use the atmel environment to upload and debug. The other way around than you thought.

Take a looks at the AS7 page which shows how to selected the "vMicro>Uploader>Programmer>Use atmel studio device programming" and make sure you tick "always use for upload" which is just below the programmers selection.

The atmel device programming allows you to use a hardware programmer instead of normal arduino serial/usb upload.

Regardless of the type of upload you choose you have the option to use the visual micro serial/usb debugger or a real hardware debugger. Only a hardware debugger will give stack trace and more debug functionality. To use a hardware debugger tick the "vMicro>Debugger>Use atmel studio debugger".

These two options give you seamless combinations of arduino or arduino and atmel. Best of both worlds! Except normally users are expected to either know arduino or know atmel studio. So it's going to be a bit confusing for you at first.

To be clear, if you have a project with an .ino file you are using arduino and you will also be using visual micro. After that you have the flexibility to choose between using visualmicro/arduino or atmel for upload and visualmicro or atmel for debug.

If you choose the atmel upload or debug methods you will then need to refer to the atmel documentation because, after build, visual micro hands over entirely to atmel as if using a real atmel project.

http://www.visualmicro.com/page/Arduino-for-Atmel-Studio-7.aspx

The arduino rules are as follows:-

1) The folder name and an .ino name must be the same
2) The project must be in the same folder and have the same name

If these rules do not apply then Visual Micro will go to sleep. You might find it more obvious if you toggle the visual micro commands on the "Window" menu. These will cause the arduino tools bars to only be visible when the rules are adhered to.

I suggest you close your project and follow the getting started guide in the visual micro documentation or create a small project using the arduino ide. It is important for you to understand what an arduino project is before you attempt to use any atmel specific features.

The getting started guide is here. Create a project using the visual micro new project features and upload it to your board. Do not add any .cpp files to your project until you see how a project works without .cpp, a simple arduino project with one or more .ino files. I suggest this because as7 can not play a part or confuse in this type of project.

http://www.visualmicro.com/page/User-Guide.aspx?doc=index


ps: Visual Micro creates arduino compatible projects and also combines some atmel upload/debug/intellisense features. It does not bring arduino to raw atmel projects. Arduino has it's own main.cpp outside of your normal project code defined within the tool chain. Atmel projects have their own main.cpp. Arduino defines serial ports, pins etc. In atmel projects you define your own. The two types of projects are very different. Visual micro only works with arduino style projects and that should hopefully make sense to you once you get your head around the difference between the two products arduino and atmel studio.