attach attributes

These attributes apply when "request": "attach" - the debugger connects to a process that already exists, a remote target, or the kernel. The same request covers three scenarios:

• Debug a running process (local)
• Debug a remote process (via dbgsrv)
• Debug a Windows driver (kernel: true)

Required: none on its own - supply processId, dumpFile, or (kernel + connectionString) depending on the scenario.

How the key fields combine determines the scenario:

Scenario	processId	connectionString	kernel
Local attach	the local PID	omit	false
Remote attach	the PID on the target	a dbgsrv string	false
Kernel attach	omit	a kernel transport	true

To open a crash dump instead of attaching to a live process, set dumpFile.

Attributes

Attribute	Required	Description
processId	-	PID to attach to (local, or on the dbgsrv host).
dumpFile	-	Open a crash dump instead of attaching.
connectionString	-	Remote (dbgsrv) or kernel transport string.
kernel	-	Set true for kernel / driver debugging.
dbgengPath	-	Path to dbgeng.dll; auto-resolved when omitted.
stopAtEntry	-	Break in on connect (default true).
symbolPath	-	Extra locations to load PDB symbols from.
sources	-	Folders searched for source files.
trace	-	Record the DAP session to a file.

Details

processId

• Type: number or string · Optional

The system process ID to attach to. For remote attach, this is the PID on the machine running dbgsrv. Omit it for kernel debugging.

"processId": 12345

To pick the process interactively at debug time, use the built-in picker:

"processId": "${command:dap-dbgeng.pickProcess}"

The picker lists local processes, or - when connectionString is set - the processes on the dbgsrv host, so the same setting covers local and remote attach.

---

dumpFile

• Type: string · Optional

Path to a crash dump (.dmp) to open for post-mortem debugging instead of attaching to a live process. Mutually exclusive with processId.

"dumpFile": "${workspaceFolder}/crashes/app.dmp"

---

connectionString

• Type: string · Optional (omit for local attach)

The remote connection string. Its meaning depends on kernel:

• User-mode remote attach (kernel: false, with processId) - a dbgsrv process-server string. Start the server on the target with dbgsrv -t tcp:port=5005, then use:

  tcp:port=5005,server=HOSTNAME
  

• Kernel attach (kernel: true) - a kernel transport string instead, for example:

  net:port=50005,key=1.2.3.4
  com:port=\\.\pipe\kd,baud=115200,pipe,reconnect
  

Omit this field entirely for a local user-mode attach.

---

kernel

• Type: boolean · Optional
• Default: false

Set to true for kernel debugging. When true, connectionString is interpreted as a kernel transport rather than a dbgsrv string. Requires a target configured for kernel debugging (e.g. bcdedit /debug on).

A kernel session is whole-machine and is never terminated: disconnecting just drops the connection and leaves the target running.

"kernel": true

---

dbgengPath

• Type: string · Optional

The path to the local dbgeng.dll (the debug engine runs on your machine even for remote and kernel sessions). You usually do not need to set this. When omitted, the adapter resolves the engine automatically:

1. a dbgeng.dll bundled next to the adapter, then
2. the installed Windows SDK Debugging Tools (...\Windows Kits\10\Debuggers\<arch>\dbgeng.dll).

Set it only to point at a specific dbgeng.dll. If no engine can be found, the session fails with a clear error.

---

stopAtEntry

• Type: boolean · Optional
• Default: true

For attach, this controls whether the adapter forces the target to break in immediately on connect.

• true (default) - break in right after attaching; the target is paused.
• false - leave the target running after connecting; it stops only at a breakpoint or when you pause.

"stopAtEntry": false

---

symbolPath

• Type: array of strings · Optional
• Default: []

Extra locations to load PDB symbol files from. Especially useful for attach, where the running binary's symbols may not be next to your source. Entries can be local folders or a symbol-server string.

"symbolPath": [
  "${workspaceFolder}/build/Debug",
  "srv*C:/symbols*https://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols"
]

---

sources

• Type: array of strings · Optional
• Default: ["${workspaceRoot}"]

Folders to search when resolving source files. Same meaning as in launch configurations.

---

trace

• Type: string · Optional (omit to disable)

A file path to record the DAP session to, for diagnostics and replay fixtures. Omit to record nothing.

"trace": "${workspaceFolder}/recordings/attach.session.json"

Examples

Local attach

{
  "name": "Attach to myapp",
  "type": "dbgeng",
  "request": "attach",
  "processId": "${command:dap-dbgeng.pickProcess}"
}

Remote attach

{
  "name": "Attach on TARGETPC",
  "type": "dbgeng",
  "request": "attach",
  "processId": 4321,
  "connectionString": "tcp:port=5005,server=TARGETPC"
}

Kernel attach

{
  "name": "Kernel debug",
  "type": "dbgeng",
  "request": "attach",
  "kernel": true,
  "connectionString": "net:port=50005,key=1.2.3.4"
}

Open a crash dump

{
  "name": "Open dump",
  "type": "dbgeng",
  "request": "attach",
  "dumpFile": "${workspaceFolder}/crashes/app.dmp"
}