Controlling General Breakpoint Behavior

There are many settings that influence how breakpoints control execution of your code. This page summarizes the various settings.

There are three modes a breakpoint can work:

  • Disabled
    In this mode, breakpoints have no effect at all, but you can leave them in your sketch, if you want to.
  • Enabled, not halting execution
    In this mode, the breakpoint updates expression windows, trace and code windows but execution of your sketch continues without interruption.
  • Enabled, halting execution
    In this mode, when a breakpoint is hit, it halts execution of your sketch until you press [F5].

To disable Debugging/Breakpoints completely...

  • Set the Configuration to "Release" in the configuration toolbar: Note 1Note B
    Configuration in Toolbar

If you want to disable breakpoints temporarily:

To enable Breakpoints...

  • Set the Configuration to "Debug" in the configuration toolbar: Note 1Note B
    Configuration in Toolbar
  • Uncheck "Disable all breakpoints" in the "Breakpoint Manager" menu item of the Serial Monitor Options button Note 2Note BTutorial Icon

To make breakpoints halt sketch execution when passed...

To let breakpoints continue execution of your sketch when passed...

  • Check the "Debug Trace Only" menu item menu item in the "vMicro" menu Note 1Note A
  • -or-
  • Select "Auto Continue" in the "Breakpoint Manager" menu item of the Serial Monitor Options button Note 2Note B
  • -or-
  • If you added a Breakpoint Action (formerly named "When Hit" condition) to a breakpoint, check "Continue execution", see "Breakpoint Actions" Note 1Note C

 

Note 1  These settings become effective after a recompile/upload of your sketch
Note 2  These settings become effective immediately in your debugging session
Note A  These settings are global for all Visual Micro projects
Note B  These settings are project and configuration specific and apply to all breakpoints in the project
Note C  These settings are breakpoint specific
Note D  These settings are global for all Visual Micro projects and affect all configurations with names "Debug" or "Release"
Tutorial Icon  These settings should be set before you start using the Debugging Tutorials in this documentation