Dynamics 365 Business Central: attaching VS Code Debugger from client

by HubSite 365 about Stefano Demiliani [MVP]

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One of the long awaited feature that you will see in Dynamics 365 Business Central 2023 Wave 2 release (v23) is the ability to oen a Visual Studio Code debuggin

Dynamics 365 Business Central is preparing to release a new feature in its 2023 Wave 2 update. The feature will enable users to open a Visual Studio Code debugging session within the web client for a specific customer production or sandbox environment. The process will be significantly easier and quicker, thanks to a new option that will create a matching VS Code project for investigation or troubleshooting. Two different contexts will be supported: troubleshooting the current session from the Help and Support page, or using the new 'Explore page in Visual Studio Code' action from within the Page Inspector.

You can use the new 'Attach debugger to this session' action from the Help and Support page to troubleshoot the current session.
You can use the new 'Explore page in Visual Studio Code' action from within the Page Inspector.

The action will generate a new AL project linked to the current session. It will allow users to download symbols instantly, select the type of debugging, and begin working, eliminating the need for manual configurations on Visual Studio Code.

However, in the current public preview, the link from the Help and Support page on some localization is broken and may need manual correction. The other way to start debugging is from the Page Inspection page, where a new AL project will be generated.

If Visual Studio Code is open already, it will use the last active session; otherwise, it will open a new one.
If the AL Language extension is not installed, the user will be prompted to install it.
The user will have the choice of whether to investigate or debug on a sandbox or production environment.
New projects will be created along with matching launch configuration, depending on the environment.
If the user decides to investigate, symbols for the invoked page will be added and the AL Explorer will open for easy object browsing.
If the user decides to debug, Visual Studio Code will attach to the web client process, and wait for a breaking error.

The new feature will take into account the resource exposure profile settings for each extension when providing source code access.

Further Details about Dynamics 365 Business Central's New Debugging Feature

This latest functionality from Dynamics 365 Business Central depicts a major advancement in the efficiency and ease of debugging client session issues. It streamlines the debugging process, saving developers valuable time. The added simplicity of a one-click set up for a matching VS Code project demonstrates the company's commitment to enhancing user experiences. Easier debugging benefits both developers and the end user since it enables quicker problem resolution, leading to improved software performance. More precise and swift debugging also reduces system downtime, boosting productivity. This update underlines the importance of continuous innovation in creating powerful, user-friendly software solutions.

Read the full article Dynamics 365 Business Central: attaching VS Code Debugger from client

Learn about Dynamics 365 Business Central: attaching VS Code Debugger from client

Dynamics 365 Business Central's 2023 Wave 2 release introduces the ability to open a Visual Studio Code debugging session from within the web client for a specific customer production or sandbox environment. To streamline this process, a new option to open a local Visual Studio Code instance for the current extension and environment will be added to the web client. This allows for a single click setup of a matching VS Code project for troubleshooting. This feature can be used in two different contexts: troubleshooting the current session from the Help and Support page or using the Explore page in Visual Studio Code. A new AL project attached to the current session can be started from the Help and Support page. It allows immediate downloading of symbols and selection of the debugging type to perform, eliminating the need for manual configurations in Visual Studio Code.

Keywords

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Central VS Code Debugger, Dynamics 365 Web Client Debugger, Visual Studio Debugger for Dynamics 365, Attaching VS Code Debugger in Dynamics 365 Business Central, Debugging Session in Dynamics 365 Business Central with VS Code