- Qt Creator Documentation
- Debug remotely with CDB
- Qt Creator 17.0.1

How To

# Debug remotely with CDB

In remote mode, the local CDB process talks to a CDB process that runs on the remote machine. The process is started with special command-line options that switch it into server mode. The remote CDB process must load the Qt Creator CDB extension library that is shipped with Qt Creator:

1. Install the Debugging Tools for Windows on the remote machine. The installation folder has the CDB command-line executable (`cdb.exe`).
2. Copy the Qt Creator CDB extension library and the dependencies from the Qt installation directory to a new folder on the remote machine (32 or 64 bit version depending on the version of the Debugging Tools for Windows used):
   - `\lib\qtcreatorcdbext32` (32 bit)
   - `\lib\qtcreatorcdbext64` (64 bit)
3. Set the _NT_DEBUGGER_EXTENSION_PATH environment variable to point to that folder.
4. To use TCP/IP as communication protocol, launch remote CDB as follows:

        cdb.exe -server tcp:port=1234 <executable>

5. On the local machine running Qt Creator, select Debug > Start Debugging > Attach to Remote CDB Session.
6. In the Connection field enter the connection parameters. For example, for TCP/IP:

        Server:Port

   If you chose some other protocol, specify one of the alternative formats:

        tcp:server=Server,port=Port[,password=Password][,ipversion=6]
        tcp:clicon=Server,port=Port[,password=Password][,ipversion=6]
        npipe:server=Server,pipe=PipeName[,password=Password]
        com:port=COMPort,baud=BaudRate,channel=COMChannel[,password=Password]
        spipe:proto=Protocol,{certuser=Cert|machuser=Cert},server=Server,pipe=PipeName[,password=Password]
        ssl:proto=Protocol,{certuser=Cert|machuser=Cert},server=Server,port=Socket[,password=Password]
        ssl:proto=Protocol,{certuser=Cert|machuser=Cert},clicon=Server,port=Socket[,password=Password]

7. Select OK to start debugging.

To specify settings for managing the CDB process, go to Preferences > Debugger > CDB.

See also How To: Debug, CDB, Debugging, Debuggers, and Debugger.