actortest

Repository for reproducing an apparent breakpoint issue in VSCode Kubernetes remote attach debugging.

Dependencies

This code has been executed in WSL2 on a Windows 10 PC with Ubuntu 20.04. The functionality should be compaitble with any Linux distro that has Docker installed.

Running the VSCode task check-dependencies will attempt to install all necessary dependencies

Dependencies for the full demonstration include:

• VSCode extensions
  • ms-dotnettools.csharp
  • ms-azuretools.vscode-dapr
  • ms-azuretools.vscode-docker
  • ms-kubernetes-tools.vscode-kubernetes-tools
• dapr
• minikube
• kubectl

Demonstration

Setup

1. Build the code using the build task.
2. Set breakpoints on:
   • line 73 of Program.cs
   • line 10 of src/AbstractExample/AbstractExampleActor.cs
   • line 10 of src/AbstractExample/AbstractExample.cs
   • line 26 of src/Application/AggregateActor.cs

Exercising the demo

The demonstration project includes an HTTP endpoint that accepts a boolean value (true or false) to drive operation of the dapr actor in a test setup or through the dapr infrastructure itself. The dotnet run environment does not include the dapr runtime, so only the true value will result in successful execution.

1. Start the target environment
2. Start VSCode debugger by launching or attaching to the actortest binary
3. Open the web browser to the proper port with the true or false router parameter binding indicated (e.g., http://localhost:5000/true)

Environment-specific operation

The breakpoint will be successfully hit in two of the three methods for running this example.

Command line dotnet run

Using the VSCode debugger, launch the .NET Core Launch (console) profile. Open http://localhost:5000/true and observe the breakpoints being hit. All breakpoints will successfully be matched to code files.

Command line dapr

Using the VSCode debugger, launch the .NET with Dapr profile. Open http://localhost:5000/true and observe the breakpoints being hit. All breakpoints will successfully be matched to code files. Repeat with http://localhost:5000/false (to invoke the actor runtime) and observe the same success.

Kubernetes

For kubernetes, we need to start the environment, perform a docker build, apply a YAML file, attach the debugger, and forward ports to localhost to demonstrate the issue.

1. First start the minikube environment by running the start-kube-environment task and wait for the cluster to start and dapr initialization to complete.
2. Now execute the docker build build task in VSCode. This build will target the minikube docker daemon for easy deployment.
3. Once the docker build completes, open the deploy/actortest.yml file and run the Kubernetes: Apply command from the command palette. Since the YAML file contains all the resources necessary for the deployment, you'll get a popup warning about VSCode not being able to indicate what will change. Click Apply - we'll be fine.
4. Run the Kubernetes: Debug (Attach) command from the command palette and select the actortest-<id> pod, actortest container, and the dotnet environment. You should have an active debug session.
5. Finally, use the forward-ports command to launch a terminal process that fowards localhost port 5000 to port 80 on the actortest service. This allows the same access method as the other two environments.

Proper operation of breakpoints

Open http://localhost:5000/true to exercise the test path in the code. All breakpoints set will resolve to source code locations as before.

Missing breakpoing / source mapping

Now steer your browser to http://localhost:5000/false to exercise the actor runtime. Three of the four breakpoints hit as before and resolve to source code mapping. The fourth breakpoint (at line 10 of src/AbstractExample/AbstractExample.cs) breaks the execution but provides no mapping to source code in the IDE. Any entry into the debug console results in an Evaluation failed indication. The call stack indicates a .NET ThreadPool Worker is PAUSED ON BREAKPOINT, but the stack trace displays Error processing 'stackTrace' request. Unknown Error: 0x80131c35

Kubernetes cleanup

Disconnect the debug session and run the cleanup-kube-environment task. This will remove dapr from the cluster and stop minikube.