OutputDebug.h

A convenience C++ drop in header library that enables logging to the Visual Studio Output window

Usage

---

#include "OutputDebug.h"

int main() 
{ 
    Info("GameObject.Id %d", 42); 
}

The Visual Studio flag _DEBUG controls whether OutputDebug is enabled

This flag is present by default in Visual Studio C/C++ projects in Debug configuration and not present in Release, so nothing has to be configured.

Just in case, it is set at Project Properties > Configuration Properties > C/C++ > Preprocessor > Preprocessor Definitions.

When disabled, calls are replaced with a noop version of the logging function.

Customize the output debug string and format length

#define _OUTPUT_DEBUG_FORMAT_LENGTH 384
#define _OUTPUT_DEBUG_STRING_LENGTH 1024

Disable the external Command Prompt Console Window in Visual Studio

---

For a C++ project on Visual Studio, one can avoid launching the separate Command prompt and keeping all log in the Visual Studio Output window with the following Project Properties:

Linker > System > SubSystem

/SUBSYSTEM:WINDOWS

Linker > Command Line > Additional Options

/ENTRY:mainCRTStartup

Or alternatively add the preprocessor comment

#pragma comment(linker, "/SUBSYSTEM:WINDOWS /ENTRY:mainCRTStartup")

See: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/build/reference/entry-entry-point-symbol