Snoop, the WPF Spy Utility

Reviewed: Snoop 2.7.0 (Feb 20, 2012)

DanielVaughan — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:09:45 GMT

Rated 5 Stars (out of 5) - I love Snoop! Makes exploring the run-time state of an application a breeze. So well done. Thanks a lot!

Commented Issue: Can't snoop second window [7726]

hamish — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:02:24 GMT

When I refresh the combo, Snoop only every finds one of my app's windows. Whether I use the combo or the crosshairs, I can only snoop one of my app's windows, regardless of which one I click on. The window shown in the combo and the one the Snoop always snoops are not necessarily the same one.
Comments: ** Comment from web user: hamish **

Yes, that works. If I open the main Snoop window with the wrong target, I can use the Ctrl+Shift technique to change it over to to the correct window.

Commented Issue: Can't snoop second window [7726]

maciekrakowski — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:43:28 GMT

Have you tried pressing CTRL + Shift while above the other window you want to snoop? If not, let me know how that goes.

Created Issue: Can't snoop second window [7726]

hamish — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:12:33 GMT

Updated Wiki: Temporary Post Used For Theme Detection (044ce84c-e055-4dbf-a9bb-682c39531265 - 3bfe001a-32de-4114-a6b4-4005b770f6d7)

cplotts — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:51:44 GMT

This is a temporary post that was not deleted. Please delete this manually. (8f3195f4-bbac-4ffd-86c3-ecabea821255 - 3bfe001a-32de-4114-a6b4-4005b770f6d7)

New Post: Copy/Backup Filter Sets

cplotts — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:55:26 GMT

Here is a direct link the post I mention above: http://snoopwpf.codeplex.com/discussions/287272

New Post: Copy/Backup Filter Sets

cplotts — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:42:31 GMT

Zodman,

I just noticed this post ... sorry for the late reply. I haven't had much free time lately.

Yesterday, I responded to a fellow ... where his main Snoop UI was showing up 1 pixel high. In that post, I give some information that answers your question.

And, yes, this is an area that I wish to refactor at some point. When I first implemented user settings, I had no idea that injecting into the Snooped process would complicate user settings ... but it does.

Glad to see that you're using filter sets ... I know @volleynerd will appreciate knowing that (he wrote it).

Cory

New Post: Snoop opens with height of 1 pixel

BarrenJunk — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:10:09 GMT

It was the main UI. Basically when I launched the application, the Snoop icon would show up in the Task Bar and a blue line would show up across the screen. If I positioned the Mouse just right I could focus the app and see the 'glow' of the minimize and close buttons light up when the mouse passed over them.

Source code checked in, #71980

cplotts — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:02:51 GMT

Installing WiX 3.5 is forcing some updates. Yuck. Removed the x86 platform ... as that had crept in there. x86 and x64 are both covered under the Mixed Platforms build configuration.

New Post: Snoop opens with height of 1 pixel

cplotts — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:55:03 GMT

Glad to help ... I wanted to document the issue for my own sake ... so that when I go to refactor this bit ... it is all there in a discussion post.

Sizer, btw, is one of the first utilities I install on new machine. I love that little utility!

By the way, I was curious ... what window was showing up small? The app chooser? Or, the main Snoop UI?

New Post: Snoop opens with height of 1 pixel

BarrenJunk — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:49:33 GMT

Wow, I seriously didn't expect a reply so quickly. I downloaded sizer but wanted to try deleting the user.config file first and that worked like a charm. Thank you for adding the "More Information" section, that was very helpful and good information to know in case myself or any of my colleagues run into this problem in the future.

Your my hero for the day :)

Commented Issue: Drag graphics are off when DPI > 100% [7574]

cplotts — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:48:30 GMT

When using larger than 100% font sizes in Win7, the drag graphics for the target buttons are not positioned below the mouse.
Comments: ** Comment from web user: cplotts **

Thanks for posting the issue ... and sorry for my delayed response (I haven't had much time lately to devote to Snoop).

I've never run into this issue, but I'm not surprised it is there ... since I hardly ever run with my DPI setting greater than 100%.

We'll look into at some point.

New Post: Snoop opens with height of 1 pixel

cplotts — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:45:15 GMT

I have run into that problem myself, I think. For me ... it is an intermittent issue ... and occurs only once in a while.

What I do ... is use a utility like Sizer (http://www.brianapps.net/sizer/) to resize the application. Sizer can even be used to move a window that is completely off screen ... to on screen ... by accessing the Sizer menu via a right click on the app in the Task Bar.

I think the problem comes out of how we have implemented the saving of user settings (like window position and size). At some point, I would like to revamp that whole part of Snoop.

Try using Sizer and see if it helps you.

More Information

The user settings do get saved in the app.config file ... but Snoop makes the problem a little tricky ... since it injects itself into the Snooped process.

In other words, the position and the size settings for the app chooser (i.e. the thin blue bar that comes up when you execute Snoop) are stored in the Snoop config file ... but the position and the size settings for the main Snoop UI (i.e. the property grid window that comes up when you Snoop an app) ... is actually stored in the config file for the app being Snooped.

One thing that you can try ... if Sizer doesn't work for you ... is to go to your local user settings area and delete the user.config files for both Snoop and the application you are Snooping.

For example, for the released 2.7.0 version of Snoop ... the user.config file is stored at: C:\Users\plottsc\AppData\Local\Cory_Plotts\Snoop.exe_Url_svr3ea1awr4rmikpujw0xmksr1tpt4kp\2.6.1.0

Deleting the above file should revert the position and size information for the app chooser back to its defaults.

And to continue the example, the user.config file for the application I Snoop most often is stored at: C:\Users\plottsc\AppData\Local\Starkey\Starkey.Inspire.Host.Stan_Url_qxzblujf3qlnz4mqhww3tnfs1lvpcdqs\8.0.11.113

I work for a company called Starkey Laboratories ... and the assembly I'm Snooping is Starkey.Inspire.Host.Standalone.exe. Deleting the above user.config file should revert the position and size information for the main Snoop UI (and the other windows) back to their defaults.

Hope this helps ... and sorry for the pain this issue is causing.

Let me know if you get around it.

New Post: Snoop opens with height of 1 pixel

BarrenJunk — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:16:41 GMT

Greetings,

First of all I want to say that Snoop is by far one of the best tools that I have been lucky enough to run across... which is why this problem has been such a pain. When I open Snoop the application is opening with a height of 1 pixel. Thus far I have found no way to stretch the window or even grab it and move its screen location. I have tried uninstalling / re-installing, making sure that the Program Files (x86) folder is deleted, searching my registry for any weird snoop related settings, running as administrator, and even tried to muck with the app.config file to see if I could at least get some sort of reaction... nothing has worked. The really frustrating thing is that it was working fine and then 'suddenly' started acting weird. I did update my graphics drivers and my company pushed out a number of MS updates around the time this issue started however I cant say for certain whether or not I ran Snoop after these updates were applied. I am running Windows 7 64-bit on a laptop with an Nvidia Quadro NVS 135M graphics card, driver version 285.62 (in case that has any relevance). Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Created Issue: Drag graphics are off when DPI > 100% [7574]

Mantaray — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 15:24:15 GMT

When using larger than 100% font sizes in Win7, the drag graphics for the target buttons are not positioned below the mouse.

Commented Issue: TargetInvocationExcepton inner NullReferenceException [7498]

cgruenzner — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:21:17 GMT

Hi @all,

I'm trying to snoop my current .NET 4.0 application on Windows 7 with the stable 2.7.0 version, but Snoop always crashes with a TargetInvocationException.

at System.RuntimeMethodHandle._InvokeMethodFast(IRuntimeMethodInfo method, Object target, Object[] arguments, SignatureStruct& sig, MethodAttributes methodAttributes, RuntimeType typeOwner)
at System.RuntimeMethodHandle.InvokeMethodFast(IRuntimeMethodInfo method, Object target, Object[] arguments, Signature sig, MethodAttributes methodAttributes, RuntimeType typeOwner)
at System.Reflection.RuntimeMethodInfo.Invoke(Object obj, BindingFlags invokeAttr, Binder binder, Object[] parameters, CultureInfo culture, Boolean skipVisibilityChecks)
at System.Reflection.RuntimeMethodInfo.Invoke(Object obj, BindingFlags invokeAttr, Binder binder, Object[] parameters, CultureInfo culture)
at System.Reflection.MethodBase.Invoke(Object obj, Object[] parameters)
at MessageHookProc(Int32 nCode, UInt32 wparam, Int32 lparam)
at MS.Win32.UnsafeNativeMethods.ITfMessagePump.GetMessageW(MSG& msg, IntPtr hwnd, Int32 msgFilterMin, Int32 msgFilterMax, Int32& result)
at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.GetMessage(MSG& msg, IntPtr hwnd, Int32 minMessage, Int32 maxMessage)
at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.PushFrameImpl(DispatcherFrame frame)
at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.PushFrame(DispatcherFrame frame)
at System.Windows.Application.RunDispatcher(Object ignore)
at System.Windows.Application.RunInternal(Window window)
at System.Windows.Application.Run(Window window)
at <our application start class>

The inner exception is a NullReference Exception simply at Snoop.SnoopUI.GoBabyGo() I tried version 2.6.1 and it works just fine. The System.Windows.Application.Run is called from a custom class I suppressed here.
Does anyone have a clue what might be the reason for the crash?

Best regards
Carsten
Comments: ** Comment from web user: cgruenzner **

Hi Maciek,

sorry for my very late answer, but I had to install VS 2008 before trying your suggestion. Using the latest change set the issue seems to be solved.

Best regards
Carsten

New Post: Snoop snoops on itself rather than expected app

dreijer — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:09:43 GMT

I'm on my way to China, but I'll try take a look at making a repro of this when I get back. I've noticed that if I use the crosshair to select my app, I can at least get the control events to print in Snoop, and from there I can drill into the actual control hierarchy.

New Post: Copy/Backup Filter Sets

Zodman — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 06:02:02 GMT

I've noticed that when I edit filter sets they are only persisted against that snooped application. I'd like to be able to copy the sets to other applications, or edit some master (default) filter sets so that my changes are applied for all snooped applications.

Where are these filter sets stored so I can at least do this manually?

New Post: Snoop snoops on itself rather than expected app

cplotts — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 23:30:07 GMT

Is it possible to send a sample application which illustrates the issue?

You could create an issue in the Issue Tracker and from there attach the sample project.

New Post: Snoop snoops on itself rather than expected app

dreijer — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:16:04 GMT

I see the same behavior. It doesn't matter whether I select my app in the drop down menu or I use the crosshair. Snoop keeps hooking itself...

Hitting Ctrl+Shift has no effect.