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Q171849: FIX: Debugger Hangs When Very Long STL Symbol in Watch Window

Article: Q171849
Product(s): Microsoft C Compiler
Version(s): 97
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbVS97sp2fix
Last Modified: 17-JUL-2001

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- The Integrated Debugger, included with:
   - Microsoft Visual Studio 97 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

The debugger hangs when an STL object with very long symbol name is viewed in
the Watch Window and expanded. You have to close Developer Studio Task Manager
and restart. The sample program in the MORE INFORMATION section demonstrates
this behavior.

CAUSE
=====

This behavior occurs because the debugger currently has a limit of 255
characters for symbols.

RESOLUTION
==========

Reduce the size of the mangled symbol names. You can do this by shortening the
names of classes and class members. You can also shorten class names of classes
by using #define.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the
beginning of this article. This bug has been fixed in Visual Studio 97 Service
Pack 2.

For more information on the Visual Studio 97 Service Pack 2, please see the
following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q170365 INFO: Visual Studio 97 Service Packs - What, Where, and Why

MORE INFORMATION
================

Steps to Reproduce Behavior
---------------------------

Build the following sample code as a Console application:

     #include <windows.h>
     #include <map>
     #pragma warning (disable : 4786 )
     using namespace std;
     template<typename Type>
     class SomeReallyLongSymbolName
     {
         public:
           SomeReallyLongSymbolName(Type var){m_Type = var;}
           SomeReallyLongSymbolName(){}
           void func(Type var){m_Type = var;}
           Type m_Type;
     };
     SomeReallyLongSymbolName<int> intObject(0);
     typedef map< DWORD, SomeReallyLongSymbolName< DWORD> >
     STLTypeWithLongName ;
     STLTypeWithLongName  STLObjectWithLongName;
     int main()
     {
        intObject.func(1);
        return 0;
     }

After the build is complete, start the debugger by pressing the F10 key. In the
Watch Window, enter the two variable names, intObject and STLObjectWithLongName.
You will be able to expand the intObject variable. However, when you try to
expand the STLObjectWithLongName variable, the Debugger will hang.

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbVS97sp2fix 
Technology        : kbVCsearch kbAudDeveloper kbIntegratedDebugger
Version           : 97
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

=============================================================================

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