Search code examples
mfcmacrostrace

How to enable the TRACE macro in Release mode?

The TRACE macro can be used to output diagnostic messages to the debugger when the code is compiled in Debug mode. I need the same messages while in Release mode. Is there a way to achieve this?

(Please do not waste your time discussing why I should not be using TRACE in Release mode :-)

Solution

  • Actually, the TRACE macro is a lot more flexible than OutputDebugString. It takes a printf() style format string and parameter list whereas OutputDebugString just takes a single string. In order to implement the full TRACE functionality in release mode you need to do something like this:

    void trace(const char* format, ...)
{
   char buffer[1000];

   va_list argptr;
   va_start(argptr, format);
   wvsprintf(buffer, format, argptr);
   va_end(argptr);

   OutputDebugString(buffer);
}