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IntelliTrace Stand-Alone Collector Configuration

37 posts · Sep 2011 – Nov 2015

What this trail covers

IntelliTrace is enhanced with an Analysis section on the Summary Page to help pinpoint bugs faster by analyzing logs for specific patterns and events indicating problems. In Update 2, this section focuses on highlighting unhandled exceptions in SharePoint applications, aggregating occurrences and providing direct links to the relevant code for debugging. VS2013 Update 2 extends these capabilities to SharePoint applications by collecting ULS log entries as IntelliTrace events, associating them with code navigation. This post adds the ability to easily navigate to Actions and Controllers for Model View Controller (MVC) web sites.

All Microsoft trails
  1. Searching and filtering the Events tab of the Diagnostic Tools windowThis post details three key improvements to the Events tab of the Visual Studio 2015 Diagnostic Tools window: category prefixes for improved readability, a new search box identical to the Error List window's functionality, and an enhanced filtering menu allowing customization by category, thread, and 'Just My Code' status. The filtering menu also displays the total event count per category and allows access to more categories via a sub-menu.
  2. IntelliTrace, method call information, and Edit and ContinueThis post details the two IntelliTrace configurations in Visual Studio 2015: default event-only collection (Option A) which supports Edit and Continue (EnC), and method call information capture (Option B) which disables EnC. It explains how to access and utilize the collected data through the Diagnostic Tools window and the IntelliTrace toolbar, and highlights the trade-off between detailed method call tracing and EnC functionality.
  3. Finding swallowed and async exceptions using IntelliTrace in VS2015This post details the use of IntelliTrace in Visual Studio 2015 to diagnose two specific debugging scenarios: finding swallowed exceptions and identifying the source of exceptions in asynchronous code. It demonstrates how to use the IntelliTrace timeline and historical debugging features to trace exceptions to their catch points, even when they are not immediately apparent in the call stack. For async code, it highlights the use of the Diagnostic Tools window to find the actual exception location when Visual Studio's default debugger behavior is insufficient.
  4. Collect data from a windows service using the IntelliTrace Standalone CollectorThis post provides a detailed walkthrough for collecting data from a Windows service using the IntelliTrace Standalone Collector. It covers downloading the collector, extracting the .cab file, configuring the collection plan XML (including specifying the log file directory), registering the Windows service, and editing the registry to enable profiling. It also notes that attaching to a running service is possible for event collection and provides registry keys and DLL paths for both 32-bit and 64-bit services.
  5. IntelliTrace in Visual Studio Enterprise 2015 now supports attach!This post announces that IntelliTrace in Visual Studio Enterprise 2015 RC now supports attaching to running processes. It details how the Diagnostic Tools window appears upon attachment and mentions the limitation that call information cannot be collected in this scenario.
  7. Known Issue for Diagnostics Tool window in Visual Studio 2015 RC: “The diagnostic tools failed unexpectedly”This post details a specific known issue with the Diagnostic Tools window in Visual Studio 2015 RC (later updated for RTM) where it fails with a "The diagnostic tools failed unexpectedly" error. The cause is identified as a mismatch between the OS display language and installed VS language packs. Three workarounds are provided: matching VS language to OS, matching OS language to VS, or manually copying the `DiagnosticsHubMsg.dll` file. The post also notes that these issues are resolved in Visual Studio 2015 RTM.
  8. Walkthrough of Live Debugging using IntelliTrace in Visual Studio 2015 (Social Club)This post provides a walkthrough of fixing a bug in a WinForms application (SocialClub) using IntelliTrace in Visual Studio 2015. It demonstrates how to reproduce the bug (erratic search behavior after registering a member) and use IntelliTrace to diagnose and fix it. The post highlights the ability to attach IntelliTrace to a running process and use the Diagnostic Tools window for debugging live applications.
  9. Editing the IntelliTrace collection planThis post details how to edit the IntelliTrace collection plan for the standalone collector. It explains that the collection plan is an XML file used by PowerShell commands to configure IntelliTrace settings. Two default XML plans are provided: collection_plan.ASP.NET.trace.xml and collection_plan.ASP.NET.default.xml. Users can modify these plans using a community tool called IntelliTrace Collection Plan Configurator or by manually editing the XML files.
  10. Video: Diagnostic Tools in Visual Studio 2015This post announces a Channel 9 video walkthrough of using the Diagnostic Tools window in Visual Studio 2015 to fix functional and performance bugs, highlighting the Diagnostic Tools debugger window, IntelliTrace, and the Memory Usage Tool.
  11. Walkthrough of Live Debugging using IntelliTrace in Visual Studio 2015 (Text Editor)This post provides a detailed walkthrough of using IntelliTrace in Visual Studio 2015 to debug a specific bug in a WPF text editor application. It demonstrates how IntelliTrace's historical debugging capabilities, specifically by capturing File and Gesture events, helped identify an unexpected file reload mechanism triggered by `ReadFile` when saving a file. The post highlights how IntelliTrace saved debugging time by avoiding manual breakpoint setting and iterative testing, allowing the developer to pinpoint the root cause in the `OnFileChanged` method.
  12. IntelliTrace in Visual Studio Ultimate 2015This post details the integration of IntelliTrace into the new Diagnostic Tools window in Visual Studio 2015 for live debugging. It breaks down the components of the Diagnostic Tools window, including the Events details table (with columns for Event, Time, Duration, and Thread) and the Events timeline (with Break Events and IntelliTrace Events tracks). It also outlines user actions like activating historical debugging, copying event details, filtering events by category and thread, and showing events from external code. The Diagnostic Tools toolbar is also described, with options for selecting tools and zooming the timeline.
  13. IntelliTrace Standalone Collector and Application Pools running under Active Directory accountsThis post addresses a specific error encountered when using the IntelliTrace Standalone Collector with ASP.NET applications configured to run under Active Directory accounts in IIS Application Pools. The error, 'User <domainusername> does not have permissions to read collection plan file...', occurs when the collector is launched from a PowerShell prompt running under a non-AD account. Two workarounds are provided: adding the AD user to the local admin group or adding a different AD user to the local admin group and running the PowerShell prompt as that user. The post also mentions a future consideration to make the permissions check optional.
  14. Custom TraceSource and debugging using IntelliTraceThis post introduces a method to integrate custom TraceSource events into IntelliTrace's data capture. It provides a concrete implementation of a custom TraceListener (`TraceListenerForIntelliTrace`), demonstrates its configuration within `app.config`, and details the necessary modifications to the IntelliTrace collection plan XML (`collectionplan.xml`) to recognize the custom listener and its `WriteMessage` method. It also outlines how to apply these changes for various debugging environments (local debugging, standalone collector, MMA, Azure).
  15. New Intellitrace article from Testing Experience: Successful Quality Management with Visual Studio IntelliTraceThis post details how to extend IntelliTrace to capture trace statements from custom TraceSource objects, in addition to the default Debug.Trace methods. This involves creating a custom TraceListener, enabling it in the application's config, and updating the IntelliTrace collection plan XML to recognize the custom listener and its methods. The post also covers customizing trace messages and provides guidance on where to modify.
  16. IntelliTrace standalone collector is back!This post announces the re-release of the standalone IntelliTrace collector as a separate download, following its removal in Visual Studio 2013 in favor of Microsoft Monitoring Agent (MMA). It highlights the advantages of the standalone collector, such as its compact size (2MB cab) and XCOPY deployability, which are often preferred for pre-production and production environments compared to MMA's setup requirement. The post also reiterates the core functionality of IntelliTrace for remote debugging via .itrace files, contrasting it with dump files and emphasizing its value for production troubleshooting.
  17. Quick IntelliTrace File Open from App InsightsThis post details improvements to the IntelliTrace Performance Details Page when opening .itrace files from the Application Insights portal. Specifically, it streamlines the user experience by skipping the summary page and directly navigating to the Details Page when a log file contains only a single performance event. The Details Page now includes system information, a single event indication, and the information bar previously only available on the summary page. Navigation within the log file is also improved with a 'Show Log File' option and persistent page state after opening a solution.
  18. Debugging, Profiling, IntelliTrace in VS2013 Update 2 and Tech EdThis post serves as a reminder of debugging and profiling features in VS2013 RTM and Update 2, linking to previous detailed posts. It also announces upcoming sessions at Tech Ed 2014 NA covering these topics and encourages feedback via MSDN Forums and Visual Studio feedback mechanisms.
  19. Debugging, Profiling, IntelliTrace in VS2013 Update 2 and Tech EdThis post serves as a reminder of debugging and profiling features in VS2013 RTM and Update 2, linking to existing blog posts detailing these investments. It also announces upcoming sessions at Tech Ed 2014 NA covering these topics, with the intention of making videos available online later. It also reiterates the availability of IntelliTrace content on a central blog post and encourages feedback via MSDN Forums and Visual Studio feedback mechanisms.
  20. Using the IntelliTrace Events window with a log collected from MMA StandaloneThis post details how to use the IntelliTrace Events window with a log collected from MMA Standalone to debug exceptions and performance violations in a deployed web application. It explains how to select an exception, view the IntelliTrace events, and interpret the information provided in the event details, including framework components, timestamps, and links to debugger windows. It also demonstrates how to debug performance violations with a filtered event list. Specific examples are provided for troubleshooting a missing font file, a NullReferenceException, and an ArgumentException.
  21. Enhancements to Debugging Exceptions with IntelliTrace in Visual Studio 2013This post introduces enhancements to IntelliTrace in Visual Studio 2013 Update 2, specifically focusing on exception debugging. It details how IntelliTrace now integrates with Code Map and CodeLens to display the call stack leading to an exception, along with the exception message. A key improvement is the ability to view method parameters directly within a CodeLens popup window without needing to navigate to the locals window, streamlining the debugging process. The post also covers navigating to source code and managing the Code Map window.
  22. IntelliTrace MVC NavigationThis post introduces MVC-specific navigation capabilities in IntelliTrace for Visual Studio 2013 Update 2. It allows users to navigate from performance events to specific MVC actions and controllers within their solution, and even directly to the source code if the solution is open. This feature works without requiring PDB files, differentiating it from traditional debugging.
  23. UI Enhancements for IntelliTrace with Visual Studio 2013 Update 2This post introduces two UI enhancements for IntelliTrace when analyzing performance events sourced from the Microsoft Monitoring Agent (MMA) in Visual Studio 2013 Update 2: 1. Performance Event Grouping: Redundant performance events with the same description are now combined, displaying average and max durations. This reduces noise and makes it easier to identify recurring performance violations. Users can uncheck 'Group by Description' to revert to the previous RTM experience. 2. Performance Details Hot Path: The performance details page now visualizes the 'hot path' for the slowest calls, indicating the methods that led up to a slow call using flame icons. This aids in understanding the code flow contributing to performance violations, particularly in complex call trees. The post also mentions specific analysis for slow SQL calls and directs readers to another blog post for details.
  24. Jump to SQL with IntelliTraceIntroduces the ability to jump from ADO.NET events in IntelliTrace files to the Visual Studio SQL editor to diagnose SQL performance issues. This feature, available in Visual Studio 2013 Update 2, allows users to examine the SQL query, including parameters, and use Visual Studio's SQL tools (like execution plans) to investigate performance bottlenecks, such as missing indexes on large tables.
  25. System Center Performance Alerts and IntelliTraceThis post announces the integration of System Center 2012 R2 performance data export to IntelliTrace format with Visual Studio Ultimate 2013. Previously, only exception data was supported. This enhancement allows engineering teams to receive performance event data when performance alerts are assigned via Team Foundation Server Work Item Synchronization.
  26. IntelliTrace and WCF Services called by SilverlightThis post addresses a scenario where IntelliTrace is not supported for Silverlight applications due to security model limitations. It explains how to debug WCF services called by Silverlight applications in Visual Studio Ultimate by manually switching the debug process from the Internet Explorer (hosting the Silverlight app) to the IIS Express process (hosting the WCF service) using the Debug Location toolbar.
  27. Performance Details in IntelliTraceThis post details the 'Performance Data' section on the IntelliTrace summary page, listing recorded performance violation events with fields like Description, Duration, Source, Event Time, and Detail Level. It also describes the 'Details Page' for performance events, including sections for 'Details' (collapsed by default), 'Slowest Calls' (up to 5), and the 'Execution Tree' of recorded calls. The post highlights the ability to 'Debug this event' by selecting relevant calls within the execution tree and resolving to source code if symbol and source files are available.
  28. Introducing Microsoft Monitoring AgentIntroduces the RTM version of the Microsoft Monitoring Agent (MMA), which integrates and expands upon Visual Studio 2012's IntelliTrace Standalone Collector. Details standalone installation and usage, including PowerShell commands for enabling monitoring of IIS-hosted applications. Explains the 'monitor' mode's minimal impact and default triggers (exceptions, slow pages) with a frequency limit. Describes how to generate IntelliTrace files using `Checkpoint-WebApplicationMonitoring` and how to open them in Visual Studio Ultimate 2013 RC to diagnose exceptions and performance events.
  29. System Center and IntelliTraceThis post details the integration of System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) 2012 SP1 with Visual Studio IntelliTrace. It describes how application failure events from SCOM can be exported as IntelliTrace files for debugging in Visual Studio Ultimate 2012 Update 2. The integration allows for assigning SCOM alerts to development teams in Team Foundation Server (TFS), automatically creating an 'Operational Issue' work item with a linked IntelliTrace file. It also covers enabling full IntelliTrace data collection from SCOM for challenging problems and linking these snapshots to TFS work items. The post references a hands-on-lab and VM for exploring these features.
  30. ALM Rangers ship guidance for DevOps bug resolution using IntelliTraceThis post introduces guidance for DevOps bug resolution using IntelliTrace, covering build server configuration for IntelliTrace, client-side bug resolution without symbols, collection for WPF rich client applications, and operational views of IntelliTrace in DevOps. It supplements the Test Tooling Guide with the DevOps end-to-end scenario, providing access to ALM end-to-end labs and guidance that include bug resolution using IntelliTrace. The guidance includes cheatsheets, hands-on labs, posters, and quick reference guides.
  31. Native debugging for ARM dumpsIntroduced native debugging for ARM dumps in VS2012 Update 1, enabling developers to investigate crashes and bugs on customer devices. Also added a feature to remote debugging that allows saving a dump locally even when debugging an app on a remote machine, streamlining the process for developers working with ARM devices.
  32. Debugging Unhandled Exceptions in a SharePoint App with Visual Studio using IntelliTraceIntroduced an 'Analysis' section to the IntelliTrace Summary Page specifically for SharePoint applications. This section automatically identifies and highlights unhandled exceptions, providing a direct link to debug the exception's origin. The walkthrough demonstrates how to collect IntelliTrace logs for a SharePoint application, trigger an unhandled exception, and use the new analysis feature to quickly locate and fix the bug.
  33. Debugging SharePoint Apps with IntelliTrace in Visual StudioExtended IntelliTrace capabilities to support SharePoint diagnostics in Visual Studio 2012 Update 2. This allows IntelliTrace to collect SharePoint ULS log entries as IntelliTrace events and associate them with Correlation IDs. The post provides a walkthrough demonstrating how to use the standalone IntelliTrace collector on a SharePoint application, open the log in Visual Studio, use the Correlation ID to filter events, and identify the root cause of an error (System.Net.WebException) by examining ULS events and exceptions.
  34. Using the IntelliTrace Standalone Collector RemotelyThis post provides specific PowerShell scripts for remotely setting up an IntelliTrace collection folder, establishing a remote PowerShell session using WinRM, starting and stopping IntelliTrace collection on an IIS application pool, and copying the resulting .iTrace log files. It also includes guidance on granting write access to the collection folder and expanding the IntelliTrace collector files, along with notes on potential issues and workarounds for remote execution.
  35. Optimizing IntelliTrace Collection on Production ServerThis post introduces the Visual Studio 11 standalone IntelliTrace package for production server collection. It details three instrumentation modes (DiagnosticEventInstrumentation, WebTrackingInstrumentation, TraceInstrumentation) and their performance impacts, showing ~15% slower page response time for Low mode and significant degradation in High mode when throughput reaches 18MB/s. Recommendations for tuning High mode include selectively targeting few modules and modifying maximum log file size, with examples of collection plan modifications.
  36. Running IntelliTrace on Applications in ProductionIntroduced the capability to deploy IntelliTrace as a standalone data collector for applications hosted on Internet Information Services (IIS) versions 7.0 and later. This collector can be used to debug applications in production environments where attaching a debugger is not possible. Two default collection plans are provided: `collection_plan.ASP.NET.default.xml` (IntelliTrace events, exceptions, database calls, web server requests) and `collection_plan.ASP.NET.trace.xml` (includes full method call details). The post also mentions the ability to use PowerShell with the collector for IIS-hosted applications and provides links to demonstrations, hands-on labs, and MSDN documentation for further learning.
  37. Modifying an IntelliTrace Collection Plan for the Stand-Alone CollectorThis post details how to modify the IntelliTrace collection plan XML files for the stand-alone collector. It explains how to control the collection of IntelliTrace events and call information by modifying the `enabled` attribute on `DiagnosticEventSpecification` and `TraceInstrumentation` elements. It also describes how to use the `ModuleList` and its `isExclusionList` attribute to filter which modules are included or excluded from call data instrumentation, providing an example of a 'white list' approach for Fabrikam modules.