Problems debugging add-in using Visual Studio Express

[DRoam]

I'm trying to debug an add-in using Visual Studio Express by following the steps under the "Debugging with Visual Studio Express" section (page 28) of this guide by @BrianEkins: Creating Add-Ins for Inventor.

However, it doesn't seem to be working. I'm having two problems:

1. All of my breakpoints show a warning that says: "This breakpoint will not currently be hit. No symbols have been loaded for this document." I searched for this online but the few recommendations I found didn't work.
2. Regardless, it doesn't appear that Inventor is running the add-in from Visual Studio, anyway. I think it's still loading and running it from the add-ins folder. If I make a change to my code (such as adding a message box), then unload/reload in Inventor, the change is not reflected. I even tried rebuilding after making such a change (with the post-build 'copy to add-ins folder' event disabled), but the change still isn't reflected in the add-in execution.

How can I fix the breakpoint issue, and how can I get Inventor to load the add-in from Visual Studio while it's attached?

[bradeneuropeArthur]

you need to copy the files via VS to the mandatory folders first. For example use the debug path to copy this.

[DRoam]

Which files? And which folder is "the mandatory folder"?

[bradeneuropeArthur]

2) Copy add-in dll file to one of following locations:
a) Anywhere, then *.addin file <Assembly> setting should be updated to the full path including the dll name
b) Inventor <InstallPath>\bin\ folder, then *.addin file <Assembly> setting should be the dll name only: <AddInName>.dll
c) Inventor <InstallPath>\bin\XX folder, then *.addin file <Assembly> setting shoule be a relative path: XX\<AddInName>.dll

3) Copy.addin manifest file to one of following locations:
C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\Inventor 20##\Addins\

the first step 1 and 2:

[BrianEkins]

There are two things I can think to check.

1. The first is to make sure you have the add-in set to NOT LOAD on startup in the add-in manager.  You want to control when it loads after you've done the attach to process.
2. The second is something that I forgot to put in the paper.  You want to make sure your current configuration is set to "Debug", as shown below.

The steps in the paper should be good after that.  From Visual Studio Connect to the Inventor process, and then from Inventor in the Add-In Manager, load your add-in.

[tdant]

I've had the issue with the breakpoints also. The problem for me was that the symbols file wasn't updating with each new build. I solved it by deleting the whole bin folder (the one in the Build output path bradeneurope indicated) and rebuilding.

It might also be worth mentioning that the latest version of Visual Studio's Inventor addin template automatically copies the project outputs to %AppData%\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins. It can be hard to tell what dll file is actually being used by the addin.

If your debug settings are working correctly, you should be able to start debugging from VS with Inventor completely closed. VS will start an instance of Inventor and use the files in the build output path for the purposes of debugging.

[SometimesInventorMakesMeAngry]

@DRoam Did it work for you? It's not working for me.