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Running Windows Store apps on a remote machine

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The Visual Studio remote debugger enables you to run, debug, profile, and test a Windows Store app that is running on one device from a second computer that is running Visual Studio. Running on a remote device can be especially effective when the Visual Studio computer does not support functionality that is specific to Windows Store apps, such as touch, geo-location, and physical orientation. This topic describes the procedures to configure and start a remote session.

In this topic

You can learn:

Prerequisites

Security

How to connect directly to a remote device

Installing the Remote Tools

Starting the Remote Debugger Monitor

Configuring the remote debugger

Configuring the Visual Studio project for remote debugging

  • Choosing the remote device for C# and Visual Basic projects

  • Choosing the remote device for JavaScript and C++ projects

Running a remote debugging session

Prerequisites

To debug on a remote device:

  • The remote device and the Visual Studio computer must be connected over a network or connected directly through an Ethernet cable. Debugging over the internet is not supported.

  • A developer's license must be installed on the remote device.

  • The remote device must be running the remote debugging components.

  • You must be an administrator on the remote device to configure the firewall during installation. You must have user access to the remote device to run or connect to the remote debugger.

Security

By default, the remote debugger uses Windows Authentication.

Warning

You can also choose to run the remote debugger in No Authentication mode, but this mode is strongly discouraged. There is no network security when you run in this mode. Choose the No Authentication mode only if you are sure that the network is not at risk of from malicious or hostile traffic.

How to connect directly to a remote device

To connect directly to a remote device, connect the Visual Studio computer to the device with a standard Ethernet cable. If the device does not have an Ethernet port, you can use a USB to Ethernet adapter to connect to the cable.

Installing the Remote Tools

You can run or download the Visual Studio Windows 8 Remote Tools setup program from the Microsoft download center. Setup programs are also available on the Visual Studio installation media in subfolders of the vs\Remote Debugger folder. Run the setup program that matches the operating system (x86, x64, ARM) on the remote device.

Operating system

Microsoft download center

Visual Studio Media vs\Remote Debugger

x86

Remote Tools for Visual Studio 2012 (x86)

x86\rtools_setup_x86.exe

x64

Remote Tools for Visual Studio 2012 (x64)

x64\rtools_setup_x64.exe

ARM

Remote Tools for Visual Studio 2012 (ARM)

arm\rtools_setup_arm.exe

On the setup dialog, accept the user agreement, and then click Install.

By default, the remote debugging components are installed on the remote device in the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0\Common7\IDE\Remote Debugger folder (C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0\Common7\IDE\Remote Debugger on x64 devices).

Starting the Remote Debugger Monitor

Note

Because the remote debugger configures the firewall to allow communication with the Visual Studio host, you must be an administrator on the remote device when you start the remote debugger for the first time.

After you have installed the Remote Tools, choose Remote Debugger on the Start screen. The Remote Debugging Configuration appears the first time that you start the remote debugger.

On the Remote Debugging Configuration dialog box:

  1. If the Windows Web Services API is not installed, choose Install

  2. In the Configure Windows Firewall group, choose the networks that you want to allow connections to. Only those networks that the device is currently connected to are enabled. You must choose at least one network.

  3. Choose Configure remote debugging to set the firewall options and start the remote debugger.. open the Visual Studio Remote Debugging Monitor dialog box to give users permissions to the remote tools and to set other advanced options.

  4. The Visual Studio Remote Debugging Monitor dialog box appears. You can give users permissions to the remote tools and set other advanced option from this dialog box.

Configuring the remote debugger

You use two tools to modify the configuration of the remote debugger.

  1. On the Tools menu of the Visual Studio Remote Debugging Monitor:

    1. Choose Options to change the port number, authentication mode, or timeout interval of the remote debugger.

    2. Choose Permissions to add or remove users that have permission for remote debugging.

      Note

      Permissions must be granted to every user account that debugs remotely.

You use the Remote Debugger Configuation Wizard to set advanced options for the remote debugger. To open the wizard, choose Remote Debugger Configuation Wizard on the Start screen.

  1. On the Configure the Visual Studio Remote Debugger page, you can choose to run the remote debugger as a service. In most cases, running as a service is not required.

  2. On the Configure the Windows Firewall for Debugging page, you can add or remove the type of networks that you want the remote debugger to connect to. Only those networks that the device is currently connected to are enabled. You must choose at least one network.

Configuring the Visual Studio project for remote debugging

You specify the remote device to connect to in the properties of the project. The procedure differs depending on the programming language. You can type the network name of the remote device, or you can select it from the Select Remote Debugger Connection dialog box.

Select Remote Debugger Connection dialog box

The dialog box lists only those devices that are on the local subnet of the Visual Studio computer and that are running the remote debugger.

Tip

If you have trouble connecting to a remote device, try entering the IP address of the device. To determine the IP address of a device, open a command window and then type ipconfig. The IP address is listed as IPv4 Address.

Hh441469.collapse_all(en-us,VS.110).gifChoosing the remote device for C# and Visual Basic projects

Managed project properties for remote debugging

  1. Select the project name in Solution Explorer and then choose Properties from the shortcut menu.

  2. Select Debug.

  3. Choose Remote Machine from the Target Device list.

  4. Enter the network name of the remote device in the Remote Machine box or click Find to choose the device from the Select Remote Debugger Connection dialog box.

Hh441469.collapse_all(en-us,VS.110).gifChoosing the remote device for JavaScript and C++ projects

C++ project properties for remote debugging

  1. Select the project name in Solution Explorer and then choose Properties from the shortcut menu.

  2. Expand the Configuration Properties node and then select Debugging.

  3. Choose Remote Debugger from the Debugger to launch list.

  4. Enter the network name of the remote device in the Machine Name box or click the down arrow in the box to choose the device from the Select Remote Debugger Connection dialog box.

Running a remote debugging session

You start, stop, and navigate a remote debug session the same way you do a local session. Before you start debugging, make sure the Remote Debugging Monitor is running on the remote device.

Then choose Start Debugging on the Debug menu (Keyboard: F5). The project is recompiled, then deployed to and started on the remote device. The debugger suspends execution at breakpoints, and you can step into, over, and out of your code. Choose Stop Debugging to end your debug session and close the remote app. For more information, see Debugging Windows Store apps.

See Also

Concepts

Debugging Windows Store apps

How to profile JavaScript code in Windows Store apps on a remote device

How to profile Visual C++, Visual C#, and Visual Basic code in Windows Store apps on a remote device

Other Resources

Debugging and testing with Visual Studio