How to remote debug a Win32 VCL application built with runtime package

Question

I wrote a simple VCL win32 application that has the following code:

procedure TForm5.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
begin
  ShowMessage('bingo');
end;

I compiled the application with runtime packages and has turn on the following switches:

1. Debug Information -> true
2. Include remote debug symbol -> true
3. Assertion, debug information, local smbols, use debug dcus -> true

The output has the following files:

1. Project1.exe
2. project1.rsm

The two runtime packages are:

1. vcl160.bpl
2. rtl160.bpl

I set a break point in Button1Click handler, the local IDE debugger will stop there if I run the application in debugger mode.

Next, I want to try remote debug the application with runtime packages.

I assign remote profile to the 32-bits windows platform. The test connection works with the remote profile. PAServer was started too in remote machine. I can notice 4 files were copied to remote machine when attempt to run the application with Delphi XE2 IDE debugger:

1. Project1.exe
2. project1.rsm
3. vcl160.bpl
4. rtl160.bpl

However, the event log shows:

Module Load: Project1.exe. No Debug Info. Base Address: $00400000. Process Project1.exe (1676)

As the module doesn't has debug info, all breakpoint will fail to trigger.

I have tried build single file .exe application without runtime packages. The same remote debugger steps work and I can debug application remotely.

What has make the remote debugging fail with application built with runtime packages?

Answer 1

It looks like you have to additionaly deploy '.dcp' files corresponding to used runtime packages.

From Debugger Notes (Release Notes for XE2):

Ensure Debug Information by Adding .dcp Files to Application Deployment

If your Delphi application links with run-time packages, the expected debug information might not be generated. This is true for Mac OS X applications and for remote Win64 or remote Win32 applications. The workaround is to use the Deployment Manager to add the .dcp files that correspond to the run-time packages in your run-time package list. For instance, if you are using rtl, you must deploy the rtl.dcp file.

Use the .dcp files located in the Embarcadero\Rad Studio\9.0\lib directories, as follows:

• For an OS X application: Embarcadero\Rad Studio\9.0\lib\osx\release
• For a remote 64-bit Windows application: Embarcadero\Rad Studio\9.0\lib\win64\release
• For a remote 32-bit Windows application: Embarcadero\Rad Studio\9.0\lib\win32\release