help with debbugging fhdoom engine

[HMart]

Hello guys i decided to mess with the fhDoom engine, to learn how to code on c++ and perhaps use it for a game, first i most say i'm only starting to learn how to mess with Visual studio, so be gentle ;P, i use the 2015 version btw, i'm pretty sure that i'm missing something basic, i can compile the project just fine but i just can't debug any code, here is what happening, every time i try to debug a file it complains about being unable to find ALL_BUILD on the home project \Debug, but the build doesn't save the .exe/pdb files on that directory, but on the bin\Debug directory, if i attach a running instance of the fhdoom .exe and use DEBUG->WINDOWS->MODULES, i see that it complains about being unable to find symbols or .pdb files for a bunch of microsoft DLL's, including a Avast antivirus dll?!, is this whats preventing me from debugging?

[duzenko]

I think you might be better off posting these questions on stackoverflow

[HMart]

Thanks i will do, just expected that someone more knowledgeable with the idtech 4 engine source could be of help.

 

 

rant:

Man but working with the fhDoom source without being able to debug it is really frustrating, code that looks fine to me and compiles fine, crash's the game, without knowing what caused the crash, i can only disable my code one by one and see what part causes the crash, disable some code -> compile (takes several seconds) -> copy to game folder .exe and dll's -> start test map -> crash, repeat, a frustrating workflow...

[freyk]

How about google?

Found this article, to compile d3 using vs2010.

Maybe you can compare this with your work.

[HMart]

Thanks for trying to help, i have indeed searched google, that was the first thing i did before posting this thread, but the problem is not compilation i can compile the engine just fine, debugging that's the problem.

[HMart]

Found the solution!!!

 

Here is it on this link

 

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/7013309/visual-studio-debugger-error-unable-to-start-program-specified-file-cannot-be-f

 

 

Just set any project that really creates a exe as the startup project in VS, like on the link ALL_BUILD on fhDoom does not create a exe so i made fhDoom project the start project and the debugger started! So happy now that i don't need to do the above "debugging" workflow.

 

 

edit: The above solution doesn't solve the problem entirely and also the problem of debugging the dll's, to successfully debug the engine .exe you need to debug the .exe, IN THE GAME FOLDER, not the one on the bin\Debug folder, then you need to set on the file project->options->debugging:

 

command: path to the .exe name in the game folder

command arguments: Here you put any idtech 4 arguments that you use when calling the exe. for example, +set fs_game myMod +set fullscreen 0, etc

working directory: In here you put the game home directory where the .exe is.

 

Only by doing this was i able to successfully set breakpoints and debug the code.

Edited July 11, 2017 by HMart

[RPGista]

Hey hmart, you said you were checking the engine out for a future game. What would that game potentially be like?

[HMart]

Hey hmart, you said you were checking the engine out for a future game. What would that game potentially be like?

 

For now the idea is First Person, puzzle and horror based, but is still to to early to be sure of anything.

[RPGista]

Yeah, that sounds about right. I would suggest, as with any kind of creative endeavor, to really strip it down, focus solely on what counts, what makes it work, unique. Like in TDM for example, there's no conversation system, no friendlies routine, the AI is perfected solely for what the game wants to be. You can make something like a Slender Man game, just a simple premise, and make it work 100% inside those limits. Thats what I would do. Good luck.