Automatically launch a second process and attach on debug

Question

Hello:

I am testing some code that has a client exe and a server exe (the server will ultimately be a windows service, for now it's a console app for easier testing).

Here's what I would like to get Visual Studio to do for me -- is there a way to do this?

With the Client application as my startup program (both the client and the server in the solution).

When I hit F-5 to debug, I would like for VS to start the Server exe and the client exe and attach to both (so that I can easily step from the client into the server).

I can do this manually by manually running the server exe, starting the client in the debugger, and then attaching (manually) to the server process. I'd love to automate it though.

Answer 1

In VS2008 and later (2005 might be able to do it too, really can't remember right now) you can set multiple startup projects. Right click on the solution in the Solution Explorer, click on Properties. Go to Startup Project under Common Properties, select "Multiple startup projects" and then change the action to "Start" next to both the client and server.