How do I debug a single .cpp file in Visual Studio?

Question

Is there any way to debug a single file in Visual Studio.NET? I'm still a noob with C++, but I want to start learning how to get comfortable with the debugger, and as of right now I am writing really small files.

It seems if there is only one source file, it won't let me debug, but the moment I add another one, I can. I am using VS.net 2008.

Answer 1

It doesn't want another source file, it wants a project file.

Visual Studio needs a bunch of information to know how to compile and debug your source code. Things like which optimization settings to use, where to look for the boost headers, that sort of thing.

Try this: go to File->New->Project... and pick a win32 console application. In the next wizard, go to Application Settings, and check "Empty Project", and hit OK.

Now you have empty project and solution files which you can copy/paste wherever you want them; to debug, just open the .sln file, drag in your single .cpp file, and hit F5.