I'm trying to use the VSTS Profiler on a fairly large and complex .NET 2.0
application. In the past, I've always used the Compuware tools (especially
the Community Edition of their profiler) and am in general quite familure
with application tuning in .Net.

The application in question is a Windows Forms EXE with about 25 project
(all DLL's) under it, written using C# and a little of bit Managed C++. My
test environment is a Windows XP Professional machine and almost everything
is being built as "Any Cpu" (and what's not is being targeted at the x86
runtime).

When I create new performance session, I add in the "TestHarness" project -
this is the Winforms app that drives the DLL. In production this is a
Windows Service, but for testing I use the WinForms driver as it's alot
easier.

... so I create a performance session, add my TestHarness in, and try to hit
"Run". Unfortunatly the "run" button in the performance explorer is greyed
out. I've tried every means and mechanism I can think of, but it's always
greyed out. I've exited and come back in. I've switched between
Instrumentation and Sampling. I've kicked; I've screamed; I've yelled. I've
gone through the Wizard. I've done things manually. I offered up a prayer to
Bill and Steve. No dice.

I can run the application normally - I can set breakpoints, debug, etc. This
all works fine. It's just the Profiling infrastructure that seems to be
broken. If I create a little sample app, everything works fine. So I know
the installation of the profiling infrastructure is correct, and I know the
general process I'm using is valid.

I'm at my wits end in terms of getting this to work. I had really hoped this
would do the trick now that Compuware has stopped offering a free version of
their profiler - but so far I'm not not making much headway.

--
Chris Mullins

Re: VSTS Performance Explorer issues by Chris

Chris
Sat Mar 25 17:39:32 CST 2006

So to further complicate the issue, I have successfully run sampling
profiling.

When I switch to instrumentation profiling I get a message box saying 'Value
does not fall within the expected range.' and then the launch button greys
out. To get the launch button back I have to restart the Visual Studio
application.

Instrumentation is much more usefull for what I'm doing than sampling, and
hopefully some resolution will make itself apparent soon.

--
Chris Mullins



"Chris Mullins" <cmullins@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:u3DE05FUGHA.1868@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> I'm trying to use the VSTS Profiler on a fairly large and complex .NET 2.0
> application. In the past, I've always used the Compuware tools (especially
> the Community Edition of their profiler) and am in general quite familure
> with application tuning in .Net.
>
> The application in question is a Windows Forms EXE with about 25 project
> (all DLL's) under it, written using C# and a little of bit Managed C++. My
> test environment is a Windows XP Professional machine and almost
> everything is being built as "Any Cpu" (and what's not is being targeted
> at the x86 runtime).
>
> When I create new performance session, I add in the "TestHarness"
> project - this is the Winforms app that drives the DLL. In production this
> is a Windows Service, but for testing I use the WinForms driver as it's
> alot easier.
>
> ... so I create a performance session, add my TestHarness in, and try to
> hit "Run". Unfortunatly the "run" button in the performance explorer is
> greyed out. I've tried every means and mechanism I can think of, but it's
> always greyed out. I've exited and come back in. I've switched between
> Instrumentation and Sampling. I've kicked; I've screamed; I've yelled.
> I've gone through the Wizard. I've done things manually. I offered up a
> prayer to Bill and Steve. No dice.
>
> I can run the application normally - I can set breakpoints, debug, etc.
> This all works fine. It's just the Profiling infrastructure that seems to
> be broken. If I create a little sample app, everything works fine. So I
> know the installation of the profiling infrastructure is correct, and I
> know the general process I'm using is valid.
>
> I'm at my wits end in terms of getting this to work. I had really hoped
> this would do the trick now that Compuware has stopped offering a free
> version of their profiler - but so far I'm not not making much headway.
>
> --
> Chris Mullins
>