Skip to content
Merged
Changes from 1 commit
Commits
File filter

Filter by extension

Filter by extension

Conversations
Failed to load comments.
Loading
Jump to
Jump to file
Failed to load files.
Loading
Diff view
Diff view
Next Next commit
/DEBUG:FULL is default
/DEBUG:FULL is default except for debug builds in Visual Studio 2017
  • Loading branch information
yousuketakada authored Jul 5, 2017
commit bf2853fc97585e3c941cc6cb5c41e9486ef3717e
10 changes: 6 additions & 4 deletions docs/build/reference/debug-generate-debug-info.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -59,10 +59,12 @@ An executable (.exe file or DLL) created for debugging contains the name and pat

The **/DEBUG:FASTLINK** option is the linker default for debug builds in Visual Studio 2017, set when you specify /DEBUG with no additional options. This option leaves private symbol information in the individual compilation products used to build the executable. It generates a limited PDB that indexes into the debug information in the object files and libraries used to build the executable instead of making a full copy. This option can link from two to four times as fast as full PDB generation, and is recommended when you are debugging locally and have the build products available. This limited PDB can't be used for debugging when the required build products are not available, such as when the executable is deployed on another computer. In a developer command prompt, you can use the mspdbcmf.exe tool to generate a full PDB from this limited PDB. In Visual Studio, use the Project or Build menu items for generating a full PDB file to create a full PDB for the project or solution.

The **/DEBUG:FULL** option is the linker default for debug builds in Visual Studio 2015, set when you specify /DEBUG with no additional options. This option moves all private symbol information from individual compilation products (object files and libraries) into a single PDB, and can be the most time-consuming part of the link. However, the full PDB can be used to debug the executable when no other build products are available, such as when the executable is deployed.

The **/DEBUG:NONE** option does not generate a PDB, and is the linker default for release builds.
The **/DEBUG:FULL** option is the linker default for debug/release builds in Visual Studio 2015 and release builds in Visual Studio 2017, set when you specify /DEBUG with no additional options. This option moves all private symbol information from individual compilation products (object files and libraries) into a single PDB, and can be the most time-consuming part of the link. However, the full PDB can be used to debug the executable when no other build products are available, such as when the executable is deployed.

The **/DEBUG:NONE** option does not generate a PDB.

Notwithstanding the above comments, the **/DEBUG** option (wit no additional options) defaults to **/DEBUG:FULL** when you use the linker outside the Visual Studio IDE, e.g., in the command prompt or in a Makefile.

The compiler's [C7 Compatible](../../build/reference/z7-zi-zi-debug-information-format.md) (/Z7) option causes the compiler to leave the debugging information in the .obj files. You can also use the [Program Database](../../build/reference/z7-zi-zi-debug-information-format.md) (/Zi) compiler option to store the debugging information in a PDB for the .obj file. The linker looks for the object's PDB first in the absolute path written in the .obj file, and then in the directory that contains the .obj file. You cannot specify an object's PDB file name or location to the linker.

[/INCREMENTAL](../../build/reference/incremental-link-incrementally.md) is implied when /DEBUG is specified.
Expand All @@ -89,4 +91,4 @@ It is not possible to create an .exe or .dll that contains debug information. De

## See Also
[Setting Linker Options](../../build/reference/setting-linker-options.md)
[Linker Options](../../build/reference/linker-options.md)
[Linker Options](../../build/reference/linker-options.md)