Unable to debug web service project in Visual Studio 2008

Question

I've been assigned a web app written in VB using VStudio.net 2003. I am trying to configure the source on my localhost (VStudio 2008) so I can explore and learn about the current app (before I begin any real changes) and I cannot get debugging working for the web service project(s).

Symptom 1: "Unable to automatically step into the server. The remote procedure could not be debugged. This usually indicates that debugging has not been enabled on the server. See help for more information".

This happens when I try to F11 (stepInto) the proxy class which invokes my actual web method.

Symptom 2: Pre-setting a breakpoint in my .asmx file code on the statement that will be invoked does not work (i.e. the debugger simply doesn't stop).

Having described the situation, here's how my VStudio Solution is configured:

Service1 - project created from the VB - WEB - ASP.NET Web Service Application template; this Service1 project contains my main .asmx source code I want to debug. Web.config for this project contains compilation defaultLanguage="vb" debug="true"

ProxyService1 - a separate project created from the Windows - [VB]Class Library template; here the form1.vb file was deleted; I visited "Add Service Reference" -> Discover (Services in solution) and then in the "Compatibility" section I click "Add Web Reference". Then choosing the above Service1, I assign it a "web reference name" of WSservice1. This results in a Reference.VB file and when I build the ProxyService1 class a .DLL of the same name in the projects bin\Debug folder; this project has an App.Config file with compilation defaultLanguage="vb" debug="true"

Project1 - the main UI project with the .aspx and .vb files that call the webservice; project1 has a reference to ProxyService1.DLL; Web.config for this project contains compilation defaultLanguage="vb" debug="true". I arrive at a breakpoint in one of the files in this project called message.vb which looks roughly like this:

Public Class Message
Dim wsZipeee As New ProxyService1.WSservice1.myService
Dim dsMessage As DataSet
Public Function GetMessageByType(ByVal iMsgType As Integer) As DataSet
    dsMessage = wsZipeee.GetMessageByType(iMsgType)

If I rightmouse/go to definition on the stmt above, here is the code in Reference.vb in my ProxyService1 project:

    <System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapDocumentMethodAttribute("http://tempuri.org/ZipeeeWebService/Zipeee/Get Message By Type", RequestElementName:="Get Message By Type", RequestNamespace:="http://tempuri.org/ZipeeeWebService/Zipeee", ResponseElementName:="Get Message By TypeResponse", ResponseNamespace:="http://tempuri.org/ZipeeeWebService/Zipeee", Use:=System.Web.Services.Description.SoapBindingUse.Literal, ParameterStyle:=System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapParameterStyle.Wrapped)>  _
    Public Function GetMessageByType(ByVal iMsgType As Integer) As <System.Xml.Serialization.XmlElementAttribute("Get Message By TypeResult")> System.Data.DataSet
        Dim results() As Object = Me.Invoke("GetMessageByType", New Object() {iMsgType})
        Return CType(results(0),System.Data.DataSet)
    End Function

For completeness, here is the corresponding webmethod in the .asmx file of the Service1 project:

<WebMethod(MessageName:="Get Message By Type")> _
 Public Function GetMessageByType(ByVal iMsgType As Integer) As DataSet
    con = New SqlConnection(sConnZipeee)
    con.Open()

Everyplace in IIS I know to check and within the project properties I have checked for the proper Debug setting to be checked or set on. I've debugged other things that are set up like this but I am truly stuck on what I've missed on this "solution".

Thanks very much in advance for any help.

Answer 1

When I debug webservices, I usually set them up to "Wait for a request from an external application" in my properties. I also usually run the project in 2 instances of VS, one for webservice and one for client. I can put break points in the webservice and everything hits and I can see what is happening.

Answer 2

try to attach debugger on running aspnet_wp.exe process

Answer 3

I normally put of the logic to debug in class library that I can start with a console application for debug. This link will be useful too if you must debug as a service.