VStudio - Debug mode and release mode and "Start without debugging"

Question

I am working on a project with Visual Studio 2008.

• Below you can select Debug / Release.
• There is also the option "Start without debugging" (CTRL + F5).

What happens if I choose Debug mode, but start without debugging? Isn't that a conflict?

What is the relationship between these two menus?

Answer 1

These functions are fully orthogonal.

Assembly selection (by default, you can change these parameters separately and create new assembly targets):

• The debug build generates debug information, IL optimization and the DEBUG conditional character are disabled
• The release build does not generate debug information, IL optimization is enabled, and the DEBUG symbol is not defined

Run vs Run without Debugger determines if the debugger is attached in the running process. By default, starting with the debugger, JIT optimization is also disabled.

Answer 2

Debug mode affects compilation ; it disables optimization and generates full debugging symbols.

Start Without Debugging simply launches the EXE, usually without debugging. (as if you double-clicked it in Explorer)

Answer 3

If you start without debugging, you will run your project on the VS localhost server outside of debug mode. If you choose Debug, the same thing will happen, but you can execute your program using breakpoints and check the values ​​of variables at runtime, as well as view their memory management using simple VS debugging applications.

Answer 4

Start without debugging. CTRL + F5 basically runs the executable file (without a debugger), on the basis of which you selected the drop-down menu, that is, either the debug version or the release version of your executable file.

Answer 5

I understand that starting with debugging is attached to the debugger no matter how your application is compiled. Starting without debugging just launches the application normally, again no matter how it is compiled.

I think you are mixing compilation and debugging in this case. You can compile it for x86, but the fact that it is x86 doesn't matter for debugging purposes.

Answer 6

I just realized that when you use Start without debugging , it affects the creation of files and the work of breakpoints. Neither creating files , nor using breakpoints . if you need these things to work, use Debugging .