Debug uses Release DLL's - Add-in Express .NET forum

gjvdkamp

Posts: 64
Joined: 2018-08-28

Hi all,

I have an issue when I rebuild my Add-In Express add-in in Debug mode, register it under Debug mode, and Debug it, my addin won't load. When I rebuild it in release mode it runs, but I get a 'Just my code' warning that I am debugging in a release build of XLConnect.Shared.Dll. Then I can load the addin, but most of the dll's are from the release build.

Is this normal behaviour, shouldn't I be able to run it all in debug mode?

This also seems to mess with the loading of all sorts of packages giving be weird errors that a package coudln;t load one of its own dependencies b/c it's the wrong version.

I upgraded visual studio, uninstalled and upgraded Add-In Express, but the issue persists..

Do you have any idea how I could fix this?

Here is a dump from the Debug > modules, showing lots of dll's loading from release mode.
AddinExpress.MSO.2005.dll AddinExpress.MSO.2005.dll C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\AddinExpress.MSO.2005\v4.0_10.2.4714.0__4416dd98f0861965\AddinExpress.MSO.2005.dll Yes No Binary was not built with debug information. 4 10.02.4714.0 2023-08-08 19:28 0000015DC4370000-0000015DC479A000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
AddinExpress.XL.2005.dll AddinExpress.XL.2005.dll C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\AddinExpress.XL.2005\v4.0_10.2.4714.0__e69a7e0f3592d2b8\AddinExpress.XL.2005.dll No No Symbol loading disabled by Include/Exclude setting. 12 10.02.4714.0 2023-07-31 18:16 0000015DA3B50000-0000015DA3C04000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
Anonymously Hosted DynamicMethods Assembly Anonymously Hosted DynamicMethods Assembly Anonymously Hosted DynamicMethods Assembly Yes No Binary was not built with debug information. 32 <Unknown> [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
IdentityModel.dll IdentityModel.dll C:\Users\Gert-JanvanderKamp\source\repos\XlConnect\XlConnect.Add-In\bin\Release\IdentityModel.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 27 4.01.0.0 <Unknown> 0000015DA4950000-0000015DA4974000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
IdentityModel.OidcClient.dll IdentityModel.OidcClient.dll C:\Users\Gert-JanvanderKamp\source\repos\XlConnect\XlConnect.Add-In\bin\Release\IdentityModel.OidcClient.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 26 3.01.2.0 <Unknown> 0000015DA4690000-0000015DA46A6000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
Microsoft.CSharp.dll Microsoft.CSharp.dll C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\Microsoft.CSharp\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\Microsoft.CSharp.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 30 4.08.9032.0 2022-04-08 23:39 00007FF8EEAB0000-00007FF8EEC9D000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Abstractions.dll Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Abstractions.dll C:\Users\Gert-JanvanderKamp\source\repos\XlConnect\XlConnect.Add-In\bin\Release\Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Abstractions.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 14 2.01.0.18136 <Unknown> 0000015D8FF10000-0000015D8FF20000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.dll Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.dll C:\Users\Gert-JanvanderKamp\source\repos\XlConnect\XlConnect.Add-In\bin\Release\Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 28 2.01.0.18136 <Unknown> 0000015DA4720000-0000015DA472C000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
Microsoft.Extensions.Options.dll Microsoft.Extensions.Options.dll C:\Users\Gert-JanvanderKamp\source\repos\XlConnect\XlConnect.Add-In\bin\Release\Microsoft.Extensions.Options.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 29 2.01.0.18136 <Unknown> 0000015DA4710000-0000015DA471E000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
Microsoft.IdentityModel.JsonWebTokens.dll Microsoft.IdentityModel.JsonWebTokens.dll C:\Users\Gert-JanvanderKamp\source\repos\XlConnect\XlConnect.Add-In\bin\Release\Microsoft.IdentityModel.JsonWebTokens.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 36 5.06.0.61018 <Unknown> 0000015DA3EE0000-0000015DA3EF4000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
Microsoft.IdentityModel.Logging.dll Microsoft.IdentityModel.Logging.dll C:\Users\Gert-JanvanderKamp\source\repos\XlConnect\XlConnect.Add-In\bin\Release\Microsoft.IdentityModel.Logging.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 35 5.06.0.61018 <Unknown> 0000015DA4890000-0000015DA489A000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
Microsoft.IdentityModel.Tokens.dll Microsoft.IdentityModel.Tokens.dll C:\Users\Gert-JanvanderKamp\source\repos\XlConnect\XlConnect.Add-In\bin\Release\Microsoft.IdentityModel.Tokens.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 34 5.06.0.61018 <Unknown> 0000015DA48F0000-0000015DA491C000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Interop.dll Microsoft.VisualStudio.Interop.dll C:\Users\Gert-JanvanderKamp\source\repos\XlConnect\XlConnect.Add-In\bin\Release\Microsoft.VisualStudio.Interop.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 20 17.07.37349.11670 2023-08-03 19:22 0000015DA4170000-0000015DA4400000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
mscorlib.dll mscorlib.dll C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_64\mscorlib\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089\mscorlib.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 1 4.8.9310.0 built by: NET481REL1LAST_C 2025-03-20 1:11 00007FF956110000-00007FF95771F000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
mscorlib.dll mscorlib.dll C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_64\mscorlib\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089\mscorlib.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 2 4.8.9310.0 built by: NET481REL1LAST_C 2025-03-20 1:11 00007FF956110000-00007FF95771F000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
netstandard.dll netstandard.dll C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\netstandard\v4.0_2.0.0.0__cc7b13ffcd2ddd51\netstandard.dll Yes No Binary was not built with debug information. 15 4.08.9032.0 2022-04-08 23:59 0000015DA3B00000-0000015DA3B1A000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
Newtonsoft.Json.dll Newtonsoft.Json.dll C:\Users\Gert-JanvanderKamp\source\repos\XlConnect\XlConnect.Add-In\bin\Release\Newtonsoft.Json.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 13 13.00.3.27908 <Unknown> 00007FF948440000-00007FF9487F6000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
System.Configuration.dll System.Configuration.dll C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Configuration\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\System.Configuration.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 8 4.8.9032.0 built by: NET481REL1 2022-04-08 23:38 00007FF951520000-00007FF951653000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
System.Core.dll System.Core.dll C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Core\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089\System.Core.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 9 4.8.9297.0 built by: NET481REL1LAST_C 2024-12-11 3:06 00007FF951690000-00007FF952115000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
System.Data.dll System.Data.dll C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_64\System.Data\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089\System.Data.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 23 4.8.9214.0 built by: NET481REL1LAST_B 2023-11-30 2:42 00007FF94F9C0000-00007FF950343000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
System.Diagnostics.DiagnosticSource.dll System.Diagnostics.DiagnosticSource.dll C:\Users\Gert-JanvanderKamp\source\repos\XlConnect\XlConnect.Add-In\bin\Release\System.Diagnostics.DiagnosticSource.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 16 7.00.423.11508 <Unknown> 0000015DA3D10000-0000015DA3D3E000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
System.dll System.dll C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089\System.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 5 4.8.9310.0 built by: NET481REL1LAST_C 2025-03-20 1:19 00007FF9554E0000-00007FF956102000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
System.Drawing.dll System.Drawing.dll C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Drawing\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\System.Drawing.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 7 4.8.9032.0 built by: NET481REL1 2022-04-08 23:39 0000015DC3F40000-0000015DC4133000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
System.Dynamic.dll System.Dynamic.dll C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Dynamic\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\System.Dynamic.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 31 4.08.9032.0 2022-04-08 23:38 00007FF946180000-00007FF9461FC000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
System.IdentityModel.Tokens.Jwt.dll System.IdentityModel.Tokens.Jwt.dll C:\Users\Gert-JanvanderKamp\source\repos\XlConnect\XlConnect.Add-In\bin\Release\System.IdentityModel.Tokens.Jwt.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 33 5.06.0.61018 <Unknown> 0000015DA48A0000-0000015DA48B8000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
System.Net.Http.dll System.Net.Http.dll C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Net.Http\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\System.Net.Http.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 24 4.8.9032.0 built by: NET481REL1 2022-04-08 23:31 00007FF943870000-00007FF943913000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
System.Numerics.dll System.Numerics.dll C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Numerics\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089\System.Numerics.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 21 4.8.9032.0 built by: NET481REL1 2022-04-08 23:34 00007FF948080000-00007FF9480D1000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
System.Runtime.CompilerServices.Unsafe.dll System.Runtime.CompilerServices.Unsafe.dll C:\Users\Gert-JanvanderKamp\source\repos\XlConnect\XlConnect.Add-In\bin\Release\System.Runtime.CompilerServices.Unsafe.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 17 6.00.21.52210 2021-10-23 1:40 00007FF90D0F0000-00007FF90D0FA000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
System.Runtime.Serialization.dll System.Runtime.Serialization.dll C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Runtime.Serialization\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089\System.Runtime.Serialization.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 22 4.8.9241.0 built by: NET481REL1LAST_C 2024-03-28 4:38 00007FF94A470000-00007FF94A7B3000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
System.Security.dll System.Security.dll C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Security\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\System.Security.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 25 4.8.9032.0 built by: NET481REL1 2022-04-08 23:33 00007FF93C000000-00007FF93C0F8000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
System.Windows.Forms.dll System.Windows.Forms.dll C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Windows.Forms\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089\System.Windows.Forms.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 6 4.8.9256.0 built by: NET481REL1LAST_B 2024-06-01 4:18 00007FF93C100000-00007FF93D1ED000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
System.Xml.dll System.Xml.dll C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Xml\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089\System.Xml.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 10 4.8.9032.0 built by: NET481REL1 2022-04-08 23:38 00007FF950B70000-00007FF951421000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
WindowsBase.dll WindowsBase.dll C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\WindowsBase\v4.0_4.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35\WindowsBase.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 18 4.8.9297.0 built by: NET481REL1LAST_C 2024-12-11 3:52 00007FF963CC0000-00007FF9641E2000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
XLConnect.Client.dll XLConnect.Client.dll C:\Users\Gert-JanvanderKamp\source\repos\XlConnect\XlConnect.Add-In\bin\Release\XLConnect.Client.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 19 2.09.1.0 <Unknown> 0000015DA3B20000-0000015DA3B38000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
XLConnect.dll XLConnect.dll C:\Users\Gert-JanvanderKamp\source\repos\XlConnect\XlConnect.Add-In\bin\Release\XLConnect.dll Yes No Binary was not built with debug information. 3 2.09.1.0 2025-07-17 13:52 0000015DC3E90000-0000015DC3F3A000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)
XLConnect.Shared.dll XLConnect.Shared.dll C:\Users\Gert-JanvanderKamp\source\repos\XlConnect\XlConnect.Add-In\bin\Release\XLConnect.Shared.dll Yes No Skipped loading symbols. 11 2.09.0.0 <Unknown> 0000015DAA770000-0000015DAA77E000 [24336] EXCEL.EXE [4294967295] (null)

gjvdkamp

Posts: 64
Joined: 2018-08-28

The registry settings under Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{9E19EBCF-6858-4052-9D09-6910304AFB36}\InprocServer32
follow debug/release depending on the build, but when I start debug the dll's are always from release and this makes it miss breakpoints etc. Also tried debugging in release mode but that is not loading symbols now.

Please help I've spent so much time on this already. Where can it decide to load the release dll's instead of the debug ones?

Andrei Smolin

Add-in Express team

Posts: 19169
Joined: 2006-05-11

Hello GJ,

Switch the project to every configuration that you have and unregister the project. Uninstall the add-in, if it is installed. Once this is done, switch the project to the Debug configuration and register the project. Does this work?

Regards from Poland (GMT+2),

Andrei Smolin
Add-in Express Team Leader

gjvdkamp

Posts: 64
Joined: 2018-08-28

Just now:
Debug: Unregister
Release: Unregister
Installed through MSI, then Removed with MSI to undo any registry changes
Deleted bin and obj folders
Debug: rebuild
Debug: register
Check registry Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{9E19EBCF-6858-4052-9D09-6910304AFB36}\InprocServer32: point to C:\Users\Gert-JanvanderKamp\source\repos\XlConnect\XlConnect.Add-In\bin\Debug\adxloader64.dll
Debug F5, add-in doesn't load
Build in release, registery says bin/release
Build in debug: registry says bin/debug
Debug F5, add-in now loads when I select it from Options => COM addins
Check debug modules: dll's loaded from bin/release (or GAC)

gjvdkamp

Posts: 64
Joined: 2018-08-28

Could we do a paid teams call so you can check for yourself?

gjvdkamp

Posts: 64
Joined: 2018-08-28

Hate to push you guys but I *really* need this to work, I have lost quite a bit of time and I need to ship stuff. Quite willing to pay for support to have this resolved.

gjvdkamp

Posts: 64
Joined: 2018-08-28

Guys, there is 1 open support question, am I to conclude you have stopped offering support on your products?

You know the boot sequence and could spot the issue in 5 minutes flat, then I can spend the weekend to catch up on lost time.

Get on it, this looks really bad.

gjvdkamp

Posts: 64
Joined: 2018-08-28

Searched the registry for
C:\Users\Gert-JanvanderKamp\source\repos\XlConnect\XlConnect.Add-In\bin\release\adxloader64.dll

deleted that key, registered again and it rain the debug dll's.

This cost me 3 days.

Andrei Smolin

Add-in Express team

Posts: 19169
Joined: 2006-05-11

Hello GJ,

Thank you for the update. Did you find out how this path get written to the registry?

Regards from Poland (GMT+2),

Andrei Smolin
Add-in Express Team Leader

gjvdkamp

Posts: 64
Joined: 2018-08-28

Hi Andrei,

Sorry about he pointy posts, was a bit frustrated.

I suspect this happened when I had to deliver an 'install for all users' MSI for deployment through AD. I was tinkering and testing and then got into a situation where the installed MSI would not uninstall b/c I has rebuilt the msi with a small change. I figured that installing/ uninstalling would undo the registry keys but of course not between HKLM and HKCU. Didn't double check but suspect the inproc key was in HKLM. Deleting it fixed it.

GJ