Skip to content

diagnostic-messages-in-the-output-window.md

Latest commit

 

History

History
52 lines (40 loc) · 2.77 KB

diagnostic-messages-in-the-output-window.md

File metadata and controls

52 lines (40 loc) · 2.77 KB
title Send messages to the Output window
description Write run-time messages to the Output window in Visual Studio using the Debug class or the Trace class, which are part of the System.Diagnostics class library.
ms.date 10/03/2024
ms.topic how-to
helpviewer_keywords
diagnostic messages [C#]
System.Diagnostics.Debug class, Output window
messages, diagnostic
Debug.Print replacements
diagnosis
Output window, diagnostic messages
System.Diagnostics.Trace class, Output window
Trace class, diagnostic messages
diagnostics
debugger, Output window
debugging [Visual Studio], diagnostic messages in Output window
Debug class
author mikejo5000
ms.author mikejo
ms.subservice debug-diagnostics

Send messages to the Output window

You can write run-time messages to the Output window using the xref:System.Diagnostics.Debug class or the xref:System.Diagnostics.Trace class, which are part of the xref:System.Diagnostics class library. Use the xref:System.Diagnostics.Debug class if you only want output in the Debug version of your program. Use the xref:System.Diagnostics.Trace class if you want output in both the Debug and Release versions.

Output methods

The xref:System.Diagnostics.Trace and xref:System.Diagnostics.Debug classes provide the following output methods:

  • Various Write methods, which output information without breaking execution. These methods replace the Debug.Print method used in older versions of Visual Basic.

  • xref:System.Diagnostics.Debug.Assert%2A?displayProperty=fullName and xref:System.Diagnostics.Trace.Assert%2A?displayProperty=fullName methods, which break execution and output information if a specified condition fails. By default, the Assert method displays the information in a dialog box. For more information, see Assertions in managed code.

  • The xref:System.Diagnostics.Debug.Fail%2A?displayProperty=fullName and xref:System.Diagnostics.Trace.Fail%2A?displayProperty=fullName methods, which always break execution and output information. By default, the Fail methods display the information in a dialog box.

The Output window can also display information about:

  • Modules the debugger has loaded or unloaded.

  • Exceptions that are thrown.

  • Processes that exit.

  • Threads that exit.

Related content