How to: Use a Visualizer

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You can use a visualizer to display the contents of a variable or object in a way that is meaningful for the data type. You can use visualizers from DataTips, a Watch window, the Autos window, or the Locals window.

Visualizers are not supported on the Compact Framework.

To open a visualizer

  1. Click the magnifying glass icon that appears next to a variable name in DataTips, a Watch window, the Autos window, or the Locals window.

    A list of visualizers is displayed.

  2. Click the visualizer you want to use.

To close a visualizer

  • Click Close.

    Note

    The Close button is displayed on the standard visualizers. Custom visualizers might have other ways of closing.

To use a visualizer during remote debugging

  • Copy the visualizer DLL to the remote computer before you start the debugging session.

    The path to the DLL must be the same on both the remote and the local computers. This path can be either of the following locations:

    Install path\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\Common7\Packages\Debugger\Visualizers

    -or-

    My Documents\Visual Studio 2010\Visualizers

See Also

Tasks

How to: Install a Visualizer

How to: Write a Visualizer

How to: Use DataTips

Other Resources

Visualizers