.NET Framework - Single-stepping s-l-o-w through Remote Desktop...?

Asked By Homer J. Simpson

10-Feb-08 03:07 PM

Hi all,

For some obscure reason, VS2008 pauses for a good 1-2 second between every
single line of code when I single-step when running via Remote Desktop.  If
I do the same at the machine itself, there is no such delay--single-stepping
is nearly instantaneous.

It's not a network latency problem either; the entire UI remains snappy and
responsive as I code all day.  It's only when I single-step over code that
VS stutters...

Known issue?  Hotfix?  Workaround?

11-Feb-08 12:57 AM

I don't think Remote Desktop cares about, if the key you press is passed
to a text editor or a debugger. So I suppose it has something to do with
the OS and network.

Do you perhaps use Vista running the Remote Desktop client ?

Try to set the following TCP setting in an administrator console:

netsh interface tcp set global autotuninglevel=disable


This should help to make the remote console more responsive under Vista.

Andre

11-Feb-08 12:01 PM

I would have to agree.


Would that be on the machine running Remote Desktop, or the machine being
accessed?  Or both?


I'm on XP x64, and the machine being accessed remotely is running XP x86.
Both use the latest RDP client (6.something).  I can't say I've tried
accessing the x86 machine from another x86 machine.

What I don't understand is that, as mentioned, if I'm not single-stepping
through code, everything remains perfectly responsive, so it's hard to blame
the network for some latency issue.

Actually, just to clarify, it's the act of hitting the "step into"/"step
over" buttons that have this delay.  For example, when single-stepping, the
yellow line is on line 30, I hit Step Into or Step Over, and it takes a
second or so before the yellow line moves onto line 31.  The code on line 30
(or 31) doesn't matter; it can be just a variable declaration and it'll be
this slow.  Doing the same at the machine itself (instead of via Remote
Desktop) doesn't show this delay.

There is no such delay either moving windows around or repainting the whole
screen.

11-Feb-08 02:52 PM

I've set it on a Vista client, which connected to a Win2003 Server.
Never heard about XP having the same problems.




Well, commonly network problems are caused because the IDE tries to
resolve an URL to download any symbol information etc. .
You perhaps should to check what's going on with a network monitor,
there are plenty of free ones, from Microsoft too.

And ProcessMonitor might help you too what's going on, on the system,
when you are connected via Remote Desktop Client.


I agree, somewhat curious why only single stepping is affected and shows
the high latency. I too don't see that much difference between a remote
session where you are coding and where you are debugging.

So - if no one has a direct solution - I would suggest you to exclude
some error sources. Debugging symbol directories, open watch windows,
new project without a special configuration.
Some applications check if there is a Remote Desktop Client attached and
have a different behavior, but I don't know why VS 2008 should do this ?
If so another (free) remote desktop solution wouldn't show the problem -
e.g. VNC.

Try to find out what's going on during a single step, with the system
tools I mentioned above.

Sorry that I don't have an direct solution, sometimes I have to go it
through the hard way too. But nevertheless I hope it helps -at least
somewhat.

Andre