Amid a booming market for third-party software debugging tools -- evidence that bugs and defects are a pernicious fact of everyday programming life -- there exists no single guidebook that adequately addresses the topic of debugging as a programming discipline. But with the upcoming publication of "Debugging Microsoft Windows Applications," developers finally get the practical, Windows-focused reference they need for finding and correcting costly coding errors. The book takes a holistic approach to debugging -- redefining "bugs" not just in terms of crashes and high-profile calamities, but including everything from user interface problems and performance issues to incomprehensible product manuals.

The first section introduces the "Zen of Debugging, " outlining what developers need to know both before and during product development Section two demonstrates how to maximize the vastly under-utilized built-in debugging capabilities in the Visual Studio "RM" product family. The last section of the book steps readers through specific debugging situations and their solutions, covering such topics as multithreaded debugging, crash handlers, and automated regression testing. Throughout, the book focuses on practical, tested techniques -- ready for work -- in the tradition of the award-winning Microsoft Press "RM" Best Practices series.