KGy SOFT Image Debugger Visualizers
VS 2022: See the 64-bit installer
VS 2013-2019: See the 32-bit installer
VS 2008-2022: See manual installation
This package provides debugger visualizers for several GDI+, WPF, SkiaSharp and KGy SOFT image types like Bitmap, BitmapSource, SKBitmap, Metafile, ImageSource, SKImage, Icon, Graphics, SKSurface, BitmapData, SKPixmap, ColorPalette, BitmapPalette and more. Possible derived types such as DrawingImage, BitmapFrame, WriteableBitmap, etc. are also supported). For GDI+ types it also supports multi-page, multi-resolution and animated images as well as saving them in various formats.
When a type is debugged in Visual Studio and there is a debugger visualizer installed for that type, then a magnifier icon appears that you can click to open the visualizer.
Either click the magnifier icon or choose a debugger visualizer from the drop-down list (if more visualizers are applicable).
When debugging WPF images from the latest Visual Studio versions you need to change the default WPF Tree Visualizer to KGy SOFT ImageSource Debugger Visualizer from the drop-down menu:
If an image or icon instance is debugged in a non read-only context, then it can be modified, replaced or cleared (supported for GDI+ types only).
Several modifications are allowed on non-read-only images such as rotating, resizing, changing pixel format with quantizing and dithering, adjusting brightness, contrast and gamma, or even editing the palette entries of indexed bitmaps (supported for GDI+ types only, or when you execute the KGy SOFT Imaging Tools application from the Visual Studio Tools menu).
Installing Debugger Visualizers
- For Visual Studio 2013 and above you can use this VSIX package (the 32-bit version for VS2013-2019 or the 64-bit version for VS2022). It will install the .NET Framework 4.6.2 build, which works also for .NET Core projects.
- For older Visual Studio versions and/or frameworks follow the installation steps at the project site.
Release Notes
See the change log.
FAQ
Q: Can I use the debugger visualizers for other Visual Studio versions?
A: The VSIX installer has two versions. You can use the 32-bit version for VS2013-2019 and the 64-bit version for VS2022. However, you can install the debugger visualizers manually for any version starting with Visual Studio 2008. See the installation steps at the project site.
Q: Is Visual Studio Code supported?
A: As it has a completely different API, it is not supported yet.
Q: I get an error message when I click the magnifier icon.
A: It can have several reasons. See the Troubleshooting section at the project site.
Q: Are WPF image types supported?
A: Yes, starting with version 3.0.0 WPF ImageSource (and derived types), BitmapPalette and Color types are supported as well. You might need to explicitly select the correct visualizer from the drop-down menu next to the magnifier icon.
Q: Are other 3rd party image types supported?
A: Yes, starting with version 3.1.0 SkiaSharp types SKBitmap, SKImage, SKPixmap, SKSurface and SKColor are also supported. The infrastructure is extensible so further frameworks can be expected in future versions.
Q: Where do I find the edited/downloaded resource files? Even my previously edited/downloaded resources have been disappeared.
A: The Visual Studio/Tools/KGy SOFT Image Debugger Visualizers and clicking the magnifier icon executes the Imaging Tools from different locations. If you edit the language resources at one place they will not be automatically applied at the other place. Therefore, the saved resources might be at different possible locations:
- If you execute a manually deployed version the resources will be in a
Resources subfolder in the folder you executed Imaging Tools from
- During debugging the tool is executed from the debugger visualizers folder:
Documents\Visual Studio <version>\Visualizers
- If you launch the tool from the Visual Studio Tools menu, then it is located under
ProgramData\Microsoft\VisualStudio\Packages\...
Q: I have removed the debugger visualizer extension, and it is still working. How can I remove it completely?
A: When the extension is active it copies the visualizers into the Documents\Visual Studio <version>\Visualizers folder if it is not there. Unlike an MSI installer the VSIX packages do not support uninstall actions so this copied content will not be removed automatically. However, the extension creates also a KGy SOFT Image Debugger Visualizers/Manage Installations... menu item under the Tools menu where you can remove the installation from the Documents folder. So the proper way of a complete uninstall:
- Click Tools/Image Debugger Visualizers/Manage Installations...
- Select the current Visual Studio version and click "Remove"
- Now uninstall the extension from the Tools/Extensions and Updates... (2019 and above: Extensions/Manage Extensions) menu. Without this last step the debugger visualizers will be automatically reinstalled when you restart Visual Studio.
More Info:
Feel free to visit the project site for more information. There you will find the binaries for other frameworks and Visual Studio versions as well as the complete source code.
