Breakpoints in SSIS

Breakpoints in SSIS are very useful to understand the Data Flow at multiple levels. For example, you can use the breakpoints to understand the variable values at the Pre-Execution, Post-Execution, each Iteration etc.

In this article we will show the step by step approach to configure the Breakpoints in SSIS with example. For this demonstration, we are going to use the below shown SSIS package. I suggest you to refer Execute SQL Task in SSIS Full Row Set to understand the complete package setup, and the data that we used.

and the variable that are used for this package are:

and the data that we used for the above package is:

Breakpoints in SSIS Example

In this example we will show you, How to add Breakpoints to the Foreach Loop Container, and the Data Flow task. In order to add break points on container, right-click on the Foreach loop container will open the context menu. Please select the Edit Breakpoints.. option from the context menu as we shown below.

Once you select the Edit Breakpoints.. option, a new window called Set Breakpoints will be opened as we shown below.

Following are the list of SSIS Breakpoints, and respective description.

Break Condition	Description
When the Task or Container receives the OnPreExecute event	This event is raised, or called when a task is about to execute. It is useful to watch the variables of the task, or a container before it runs.
When the Task or Container receives the OnPostExecute event	This event is raised, or called immediately after the task is completed or, executed. OnPostExecute event is useful to watch the task, or a container variables after the task finishes.
When the Task or Container receives the OnError event	The OnError event is called when an error is occurred by a task, or container
When the Task or Container receives the OnWarning event	The OnWarning event is called when a task, or container throws a warning.
When the Task or Container receives the OnInformation event	You can use this OnInformation event, when a container, or task has to provide any information
When the Task or Container receives the OnTaskFailed event	This event is called when the task is failed
When the Task or Container receives the OnProgress event	This event is called to update the task execution progress.
When the Task or Container receives the OnQuerycancel event	While processing the task, You call this event at any time. This will help you to cancel the execution at any time.
When the Task or Container receives the OnVariableValueChanged event	The OnVariableValueChanged event is called when the variable value changes. In order to raise this event, you have to set the RaiseChangeEvent of the variable to TRUE.
When the Task or Container receives the OnCustomEvent event	If you want to raise any task defined events, then you use this OnCustomEvent event.

For now, we are selecting the Breakpoints on Preexecute event, and Post Execute event.

Breakpoints allows four different options for the Hit Count type, and they are:

Hit Count type	Description
Always	Execution will be suspended when the breakpoint is hit.
Hit Count equals	Execution is suspended when the Hit Count is equal to number of times breakpoint has occurred.
Hit Count Greater than or Equal to	Execution is suspended when the Hit Count is greater than or equal to number of times breakpoint has occurred.
Hit Count Multiple	If you set this option to 4, execution is suspended every fourth time.

Click OK to close the Breakpoints configuration. From the below screenshot you can see red circle on Foreach loop container.

Let us run the package, and check the variables flow in the locals window.

I think there are too many system variables in the locals window. So, let me select required variables (user defined variables) and right-click on them will open the context menu. Please select the Add Watch option as we shown below.