Starting a debug session with an existing launch configuration

You can debug with an existing launch configuration by way of the launch history, your favorite debug configurations, or the Debug launch configurations dialog box. You can also choose to relaunch the launch configuration that you used last.

Using the launch history or favorite debug configurations to start

The launch history is a list of the most recent debug launches. Favorite debug configurations are launch configurations that you set to be favorites.

When you are creating a launch configuration, you can choose to have it added to the favorite debug configurations list by way of the Common tab in the Debug launch configurations dialog box. You can also modify favorite debug configurations and the launch history in the workbench preferences where, in the Preferences dialog box, selecting Run/Debug > Launching will open the Launching page. In this page, you can set a variety of launch settings, including the number of launch configurations that will be displayed in the launch history.

In the workbench, the launch history and favorite debug configurations are displayed together when you select the workbench toolbar Debug push button menu or when you choose Run > Debug History from the workbench menu bar. If you have set favorite debug configurations and a launch history exists, then the launch history and favorite debug configurations are displayed together with a separator in between and favorite configurations listed on top. If there are no set favorite debug configurations, then only the launch history will be displayed. If there is no launch history (or if you have chosen to remove all items from the launch history), then only the favorite debug configurations will be displayed.

To relaunch an entry in the launch history or favorite debug configurations list, select it from the list that is displayed when you select the workbench toolbar Debug push button menu or when you choose Run > Debug History from the workbench menu bar.

Starting by way of the Debug launch configurations dialog box

  1. In a workbench perspective that offers the launch/debug/run action set (such as the Debug perspective), perform one of the following tasks:
    • Select Run > Debug from the workbench menu bar to open the Debug launch configurations dialog box.
    • Click the down arrow next to the workbench toolbar Debug push button and choose Debug from the list. This will open the Debug launch configurations dialog box.
  2. In the Debug launch configurations dialog box, select the launch configuration that you want to use. You might need to expand the launch configuration type node to find the launch configuration.
  3. If all information mandatory to the launch configuration is valid, you can launch the debug session by performing one of the following tasks:
    • Double-click the launch configuration.
    • Click Debug (the Debug push button is enabled only if all information mandatory to the launch configuration is valid).

Relaunching

To debug with the launch configuration that was last used, press F11 or select Run > Debug Last Launched from the workbench menu bar.

Note: Some debug engines do not support relaunching.

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