I have had some success with using PIX to debug SlimDX (and that only very recently) but I haven't managed to get PerfStudio (2.9) to work yet. Has anyone had success with that tool ? It seems to connect to some extent, I can even see my shader in the servers ShaderCache folder. But when i pause in GPUPerfClient it tries to connect and fails, appearing to time-out. The log file is below as well as the console output. I have read in another forum post that at least for nvidia tools, it can help to use certain methods of creating the device or swap-chain. Has anyone been able to use PerfStudio and under what conditions ?

On a related note, I've noticed that VS2012 has reached RC, I'm thinking of downloading it and taking a look (for the purposes of trying the built in graphics tools) I downloaded the Developer Preview and made the mistake of installing it on my main computer, it screwed up my environment a bit and I ultimately reinstalled Windows. But I figure RC is probably fixed up enough to not cause the same problems. Can anyone confirm this ? I read that Mike P. has tried VS2012 without success (in using the gfx debugger) so Im not likely to do better but I'm still curious. And again on that point, has anyone had success using VS2012 with managed code / SlimDX ?

Any discussion or assistance is much appreciated

PerfStudio log :

---------------BEGIN------------------
App : C:\Users\Gavin\Documents\Visual Studio 2010\Projects\WH\WH\bin\Debug\WH.exe
PID: 5240
Time: 2012-Jul-09 20:33:38
20:33:51.781232: Message: 5652 Server : 0: 127.0.0.1 - /Process.xml
20:33:52.261233: Message: 5652 Server : 1: 127.0.0.1 - /Process.xml
20:33:52.761233: Message: 5652 Server : 2: 127.0.0.1 - /Process.xml
20:33:53.281234: Message: 5652 Server : 3: 127.0.0.1 - /Process.xml
20:33:53.621235: Message: 5652 Server : 4: 127.0.0.1 - /5240/DX11/ShowStack
20:33:53.661235: Message: 5652 Server : 5: 127.0.0.1 - /5240/DX11/PushLayer=TimeControl
20:33:53.681235: Message: 5652 Server : 6: 127.0.0.1 - /5240/DX11/TC/Settings.xml
20:33:59.521243: Message: 5652 Server : 7: 127.0.0.1 - /5240/DX11/PushLayer=FrameCapture
20:33:59.591243: Message: 5652 Server : 8: 127.0.0.1 - /5240/DX11/TC?realpause=True
20:33:59.601243: Message: 5652 Server : 9: 127.0.0.1 - /5240/DX11/TC?Speed=0
20:33:59.611243: Message: 5652 Server : 10: 127.0.0.1 - /5240/DX11/FC?HandleMapsOnCPU=False
20:33:59.631243: Message: 5652 Server : 11: 127.0.0.1 - /5240/DX11/FC/Capture?Stream=0
---------------BEGIN------------------
App : C:\Users\Gavin\Documents\Visual Studio 2010\Projects\WH\WH\bin\Debug\WH.exe
PID: 5240
Time: 2012-Jul-09 20:33:59
20:35:07.210337: Message: 5652 Server : 12: 127.0.0.1 - /5240/DX11/PushLayer=FrameDebugger
20:35:08.350338: Assert: 5240 : Instance's vtable not managed!
20:35:08.350338: Message: 5652 Server : 13: 127.0.0.1 - /5240/DX11/FD/Stats.xml
20:35:28.422366: Message: 5652 Server : 14: 127.0.0.1 - /5240/DX11/FC?ReplayLoop=False


Console output

Unhandled Exception: System.AccessViolationException: Attempted to read or write protected memory
at SlimDX.DXGI.SwapChain.Present(Int32 syncInterval, PresentFlags flags)
at BF.SDXForm.Present()
in C:Users\...UI.cs:line 214

at WH.WHMain.<Main>b__0()
in C:Users\...WHMain.cs:line 51

at SlimDX.Windows.MessagePump.IdleHandler.OnIdle(Object sender, EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.SystemWindows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.IMsoComponent.FDoIdle(Int32 grfidlef)
at System.Windows.Forms.Applicaiton.ComponentManager.System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.IMsoComponentManager... ...FPushMessageLoop(IntPtr dwComponentID,Int32 reason, Int32 pvLoopData)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoopInner(Int32 reason, ApplicationContext context)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoop(Int32 reason, ApplicationContext context)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.Run(Form mainForm)
at SlimdDX.Windows.MessagePump.Run(Form form, MainLoop mainLoop)
at BF.SDXForm.MainLoop(MainLoop mainLoop)
in C:Users\...SDXForm.cs: line159

at Framework.UserInterface.MainLoop(MainLoop)
in C:\Users\...UserInterface.cs:line 58

at WH.WHMain.Main()
in C:\Users\...WHMain.cs:line 46

Message: 5652 Server : 14:127.0.0.1 - /5240/DX11/FC?ReplayLoop=False

Well I've been looking at VS2012 .. It's very stark at first to look at, but it's certainly fresh ! And to my great surprise, It has captured a frame from my SlimDX app !!! I almost can't believe it but it's true It's not working perfectly yet, however the following features in the graphics debugger are working :

frame capture
event call stack (im not sure if this is fully functional)
graphics object table
inspection of all graphics objects ( ie blend state, rasterizer state, textures, layouts, raw vertex data etc )

And the following features don't work for me right now :

event list
pixel history
pipeline stages

So, not quite there, but it's a good start. Oh and I like the hlsl syntax hilighting. It will just make it that little bit easier.