Setting Expression Watches

A watch enables you to monitor the changing values of variables or expressions as your program runs. After you enter a watch expression, the Watch window displays the current value of the expression. As your program runs, the value of the watch changes as your program updates the values of the variables in the watch expression.

A watch evaluates an expression according to the current context which is controlled by the selection in the Stack window. If you move to a new context, the expression is reevaluated for the new context. If the execution point moves to a location where any of the variables in the watch expression are undefined, the entire watch expression becomes undefined. If the execution point returns to a location where the watch expression can be evaluated, the Watches window again displays the value of the watch expression.

To open the Watches window:

Choose View Debug Windows Watches from the main menu.

To add a watch from the Source Editor:

Select the expression you want to watch with your cursor.
Right-click and choose Watch from the context menu to add the expression to the Watches window. A dialog appears with the expression.
Edit the expression, if necessary.
Click OK.

Or, add a watch in the following ways:

Select a data item in the Data window. Then right-click, and choose Watch.
Right-click in the Watches window and choose Add Watch.
Use the mouse to drag a data item from the Data window and drop it on the Watches window.

To edit a watch:

Select the expression in the Watches window, then right-click and choose Edit Watch.
The Edit Watch Expression dialog appears.
Enter a new expression or modify the existing one and click OK.

To delete a watch:

Select the expression in the Watches window, press the Delete key or right-click and choose Remove Watch from the context menu. You can also delete all the watches by choosing Remove All Watches from the context menu.

Caution: You cannot restore a deleted watch.