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How to speed up Windows Azure Development (Part 2 of 2, 9 minutes)

This is part 2 of screencasts I recorded that show how to speed up Windows Azure Development (see part 1 here). Specifically, in this screencast I show how we can create a macro in Visual Studio 2008 to attach or debugger to an IIS process.

We can then also create a keyboard shortcut for fast debugging of an Azure web role running in IIS. For more articles, screencasts and tips check out ehuna.org - follow me on twitter.com/ehuna

How to speed up Windows Azure Development (Part 2 of 2) from Emmanuel Huna on Vimeo.

Here’s what is covered in the video:

1. The rinetd trick and the RinetdService – accessing your windows azure web roles from the real IP (not 127.0.0.1). See “An easier way to access the Windows Azure local development fabric from another computer” -
  http://blog.ehuna.org/2009/10/an_easier_way_to_access_the_wi.html
2. Adding a breakpoint in Visual Studio 2008.
3. W3WP.EXE – the IIS host process.
4. Tools > Attach to process – takes forever for the list of processes to come up.
5. Attach to W3WP.exe the IIS host process.
6. Load the ASPX page in the browser and debug your code-behind.
7. Create a Visual Studio macro (Macros > Record Temporary Macro).
8. Rename and save the temporary macro.  Right-click and run.
9. Visual Studio > Options > Keyboard > Create keyboard shortcut.
10.  Change something in your code, right-click web role and build, press “CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+?” and open a browser to access your ASPX page.  Boom!  Debug your code in 1-2 seconds!
11. Attach to process when running a windows service or a worker role.
12. If using the ASP.NET custom session provider that uses Azure storage, don’t use it in development.  Set your web role instance count to 1 and store your ASP.NET sessions in proc.

Good Times!
Below you can find sample code and additional tips related to this screencast.

How to speed up Windows Azure Development (Part 2 of 2, 9 minutes)
By Emmanuel Huna, http://www.ehuna.org, twitter.com/ehuna

Download the Visual Studio Solution here:
  http://blog.ehuna.org/files/Visual-Studio-Solution-AzureSpeed1.zip (26 KB)

  image

Record a Macro in Visual Studio 2008
  Macros > Record Temporary Macro
  Tools > Attach to process
  Select W3WP.exe
  Click ‘Attach’
  Stop recording of macro
  Stop project from running in Visual Studio
  Save temporary macro
  Rename it “IISAttachToProcess”

Right click and “Run” the macro anytime – you’re now attached to the W3WP.exe IIS host process.

Keyboard shortcuts in Visual Studio 2008
  Options > Keyboard
  Search for “IIS…” – find and select the “IISAttachToProcess” macro
  Set a keyboard shortcut of “CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+?”

Press “CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+?” and you’re now attached to the W3WP.exe IIS host process. 

Change something in your code, right-click web role and build, press “CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+?” and open a browser to access your ASPX page. 

Boom!  Debug your code in 1-2 seconds!

Good Times!

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This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on January 28, 2010 9:28 PM.

The previous post in this blog was How to speed up Windows Azure Development (Part 1 of 2, 18 minutes).

The next post in this blog is Windows Azure CloudDrive - Creating a VHD and Uploading it to Azure Storage (Part 1 of 2, 30 minutes).

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