1  # PowerToys Debugging Tools
  2  
  3  PowerToys includes several specialized tools to help with debugging and troubleshooting. These tools are designed to make it easier to diagnose issues with PowerToys features.
  4  
  5  ## FancyZones Debugging Tools
  6  
  7  ### FancyZones Hit Test Tool
  8  
  9  - Location: `/tools/FancyZonesHitTest/`
 10  - Purpose: Tests FancyZones layout selection logic
 11  - Functionality:
 12    - Simulates mouse cursor positions
 13    - Highlights which zone would be selected
 14    - Helps debug zone detection issues
 15  
 16  ### FancyZones Draw Layout Test
 17  
 18  - Location: `/tools/FancyZonesDrawLayoutTest/`
 19  - Purpose: Tests FancyZones layout drawing logic
 20  - Functionality:
 21    - Visualizes how layouts are drawn
 22    - Helps debug rendering issues
 23    - Tests different monitor configurations
 24  
 25  ### FancyZones Zonable Tester
 26  
 27  - Location: `/tools/FancyZonesZonableTester/`
 28  - Purpose: Tests if a window is "zonable" (can be moved to zones)
 29  - Functionality:
 30    - Checks if windows match criteria for zone placement
 31    - Helps debug why certain windows can't be zoned
 32  
 33  ## Monitor Information Tools
 34  
 35  ### Monitor Info Report
 36  
 37  - Location: `/tools/MonitorPickerTool/`
 38  - Purpose: Diagnostic tool for identifying WinAPI bugs related to physical monitor detection
 39  - Functionality:
 40    - Lists all connected monitors
 41    - Shows detailed monitor information
 42    - Helps debug multi-monitor scenarios
 43  
 44  ## Window Information Tools
 45  
 46  ### Styles Report Tool
 47  
 48  - Location: `/tools/StylesReportTool/`
 49  - Purpose: Collect information about an open window
 50  - Functionality:
 51    - Reports window styles
 52    - Shows window class information
 53    - Helps debug window-related issues in modules like FancyZones
 54  
 55  ### Build Process
 56  
 57  The Styles Report Tool is built separately from the main PowerToys solution:
 58  
 59  ```
 60  nuget restore .\tools\StylesReportTool\StylesReportTool.sln
 61  msbuild -p:Platform=x64 -p:Configuration=Release .\tools\StylesReportTool\StylesReportTool.sln
 62  ```
 63  
 64  ## Shell-Related Debugging Tools
 65  
 66  ### PowerRenameContextMenu Test
 67  
 68  - Location: `/tools/PowerRenameContextMenuTest/`
 69  - Purpose: Tests PowerRename context menu integration
 70  - Functionality:
 71    - Simulates right-click context menu
 72    - Helps debug shell extension issues
 73  
 74  ## Verification Tools
 75  
 76  ### Verification Scripts
 77  
 78  - Location: `/tools/verification-scripts/`
 79  - Purpose: Scripts to verify PowerToys installation and functionality
 80  - Functionality:
 81    - Verify binary integrity
 82    - Check registry entries
 83    - Test module loading
 84  
 85  ## Other Debugging Tools
 86  
 87  ### Clean Up Tool
 88  
 89  - Location: `/tools/CleanUp/`
 90  - Purpose: Clean up PowerToys installation artifacts
 91  - Functionality:
 92    - Removes registry entries
 93    - Deletes settings files
 94    - Helps with clean reinstallation
 95  
 96  ### Using Debugging Tools
 97  
 98  1. Most tools can be run directly from the command line
 99  2. Some tools require administrator privileges
100  3. Tools are typically used during development or for advanced troubleshooting
101  4. Bug Report Tool can collect and package the output from several of these tools
102  
103  ## Adding New Debugging Tools
104  
105  When creating new debugging tools:
106  
107  1. Place the tool in the `/tools/` directory
108  2. Follow existing naming conventions
109  3. Document the tool in this file
110  4. Include a README.md in the tool's directory
111  5. Consider adding the tool's output to the Bug Report Tool if appropriate