Problems with Silverlight and profiling

Bastian Kröger

Hi all,

for Version 8.5.0.12 I have problems to profile Silverlight 5 applications.
Unfortunately I cannot exactly tell which of the earlier versions worked for me, but it was some of the 8.x versions.

1. problem:
When launching a profiling session the profiler does not attach correctly at all in 90%.
I have to start the session again and again to get it attached.
Very annoying

2. problem:
It will not resolve my source code and always tell me it could not find the pdb files.
I tried every solution I could find on your help sites,
including the one with the global directory (%systemroot%\symbols\dll).
Nothing solves it.
I even created a blank new Silverlight project with nothing more than a simple loop in the MainPage loaded event.
No source code available
For .Net executables it works as expected.

3. problem:
Okay this is not the performance profilter, but anyway the same problem as number 1 applies for the memory profiler in the newest version. Additionally my silverlight app crashes when the memory profiler is attached when using the Internet Explorer V11.

Hope any one can help me what to try next
I would really appreciate to get my source code view back

Kind regards,
Bastian Kröger

Jessica R

Hi Bastian,

Thanks for your post and sorry to hear you're running into some trouble! Regarding those issues..

>> 1. When launching a profiling session the profiler does not attach correctly at all in 90%.

It sounds like you may be running into one known issue with profiling Silverlight in-browser applications. The problem is that if other instances of Internet Explorer are open when you start the profiling session, the profiler does not attach to the correct instance. If this is the case, kindly make sure iexplore.exe processes are closed before you start the profiling session.

>> 2. It will not resolve my source code and always tell me it could not find the pdb files.

We have a support ticket open for you for this forum post (#13374) and I'll shoot you an email through the ticket regarding this issue, as troubleshooting may get a bit complicated on the forums--please look out for it!

(Just a note: the profiler cannot give line-level timings for Silverlight applications, but it should still be able to find your pdb files to properly show your methods with source)

>> 3. ...the same problem as number 1 applies for the memory profiler in the newest version. Additionally my silverlight app crashes when the memory profiler is attached when using the Internet Explorer V11.

The Internet Explorer issue with starting the profiling session applies to the Memory Profiler as well, so hopefully the suggestion above will help! Regarding the crashing, I've created a separate support ticket for you with reference #13404 (please let me know if you don't receive confirmation of this ticket )

Bastian Kröger

Hi Jessica,

thanks for you help.

Besides my answers to your e-mails here are some details I could find out.

The first issue seems to be releated with many open browser windows,
but also with broken IE11 installations. Unfortunately I have no clue which part failed, since everything worked as expected but the profiler.
I deinstalled IE11 and reinstalled it.
When having only one window open now, I can at least attach without problems.

The problem with the pdf files stays unfortunately.
I also checked via your debug tool the assemblies of the same application on some of my colleagues computers, but it always says <unknown>.

Also when attaching the debugger via VS 2012/2013 and looking at the module list -> symbol load information it always states "no pdb file found" in the first line, but in the second line the correct path and "pdb loaded".

Kind regards,
Bastian

Jessica R

Just a quick update should anyone else run into this..

If the profiler is failing to connect to or start profiling your Silverlight in-browser application, please be sure that all iexplore.exe processes are closed in Task Manager before profiling (else the profiler may have trouble attaching to the correct instance of IE)

And if you're using version 8.5 of the profiler with your Silverlight application, (thanks to Bastian!) we've discovered a bug in that the profiler likely won't be able to find and show any of your methods with source. Please bear with us as we investigate this and I'll post here once we have a fix!

chanakya33

Hi Jessica -

Even though you have an open ticket as you mentioned, I just wanted to add that I too am experiencing the same problem as Bastian with not seeing any of my own method-specific data (only framework methods) within a Silverlight 5 application with the detail setting to "Only Methods with Source."

I do, however, see method data if I choose "All methods inc. framework" and ensure that the "Display Options" drop-down is set to "All Methods." Unfortunately, to get the actual source code - even if it's my own method with source - I not only have to select the method (from the methods grid / call tree) but decompile it as well in the source view.

Profiler 7.4 works just fine in all respects.

Looking forward to your next status update! [/b]

Jessica R

Hi chanakya33!

We have private build that you can try out where this issue should be fixed-- please send an email to support@red-gate.com and I'll shoot it over to you

Kind regards,

Jessica Ramos