dotPeek 2023.3 Help

Generate PDB files

If you need symbol files elsewhere than in the debugger, dotPeek provides a command to generate a PDB file (together with the source files) for any .NET assembly.

When generating symbol files, dotPeek creates the directory structure identical to the Visual Studio symbol cache. Therefore, if you set the Visual Studio symbol cache directory as the output folder, all generated symbols will be automatically available to the Visual Studio debugger. You can get or set the cache directory in Visual Studio Options: Debugging | Symbols | Cache symbols in this directory.

Generate PDB file for an assembly

  1. Select the desired assemblies in the Assembly Explorer window.

  2. Do one of the following:

    • Click Generate PDB Themed icon sources from symbol files screen gray on the toolbar of the Assembly Explorer.

    • Right-click the selection and choose Generate PDB in the context menu.

  3. In the PDB Generation dialog that opens, specify the destination folder. Optionally, you can select some more assemblies in the reference hierarchy.

    PDB Generation dialog
  4. Click Generate. PDB and source files for the selected assemblies are created in the specified destination folder.

    You can watch the progress of exporting the assembly in the Project/PDB Generation Status window.

    dotPeek: Project/PDB Generation Status window
Last modified: 08 September 2023