MacOS symbolic link directories break point not working

[alancook]

Steps to reproduce

If you have a folder that is a symbolic link you can not set a breakpoint that stops when you run debug mode the red break point turns to a delete symbol.

Ask Claude "android studio debugging dart files in linked symbolic directories not working" and you get about 10 suggestions and none of them work.

Dows any one have a work around for this issues to debug dart code in symbolically linked folders?

Expected results

Debugging stops at break point

Actual results

Ignores the break point

Code sample

Screen shots of break point being set and then being turned off when debug session started for file in symbolic link folder apps

Screenshots or Video

No response

Logs

Flutter Doctor output

[✓] Flutter (Channel stable, 3.32.6, on macOS 15.6 24G5065c darwin-arm64, locale en-PH) [560ms]
    • Flutter version 3.32.6 on channel stable at /Users/alanc/development/flutter
    • Upstream repository https://github.com/flutter/flutter.git
    • Framework revision 077b4a4ce1 (5 days ago), 2025-07-08 13:31:08 -0700
    • Engine revision 72f2b18bb0
    • Dart version 3.8.1
    • DevTools version 2.45.1

[✓] Android toolchain - develop for Android devices (Android SDK version 35.0.0) [1,965ms]
    • Android SDK at /Users/alanc/Library/Android/sdk
    • Platform android-35, build-tools 35.0.0
    • Java binary at: /opt/homebrew/Cellar/openjdk/23.0.2/libexec/openjdk.jdk/Contents/Home/bin/java
      This JDK is specified in your Flutter configuration.
      To change the current JDK, run: `flutter config --jdk-dir="path/to/jdk"`.
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment Homebrew (build 23.0.2)
    • All Android licenses accepted.

[✓] Xcode - develop for iOS and macOS (Xcode 16.2) [1,205ms]
    • Xcode at /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer
    • Build 16C5032a
    • CocoaPods version 1.16.2

[✓] Chrome - develop for the web [14ms]
    • Chrome at /Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome

[✓] Android Studio (version 2024.3) [13ms]
    • Android Studio at /Applications/Android Studio.app/Contents
    • Flutter plugin can be installed from:
      🔨 https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/9212-flutter
    • Dart plugin can be installed from:
      🔨 https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/6351-dart
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 21.0.6+-13368085-b895.109)

[✓] Android Studio (version 2024.3) [11ms]
    • Android Studio at /Volumes/MacOS26/Applications/Android Studio.app/Contents
    • Flutter plugin can be installed from:
      🔨 https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/9212-flutter
    • Dart plugin can be installed from:
      🔨 https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/6351-dart
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 21.0.6+-13368085-b895.109)

[✓] VS Code (version 1.100.3) [11ms]
    • VS Code at /Volumes/MacOS26/Applications/Visual Studio Code.app/Contents
    • Flutter extension version 3.112.0

[✓] Connected device (6 available) [10.1s]
    • SM A146P (mobile)                    • R9WW40G79FH               • android-arm64  • Android 14 (API 34)
    • sdk gphone64 arm64 (mobile)          • emulator-5554             • android-arm64  • Android 14 (API 34) (emulator)
    • CodeFab HDC iPad (wireless) (mobile) • 00008103-000A09A826BB001E • ios            • iOS 26.0 23A5287g
    • CodeFab HDC (wireless) (mobile)      • 00008101-000649820199001E • ios            • iOS 18.5 22F76
    • CodeFab AJC (wireless) (mobile)      • 00008120-000805860A50C01E • ios            • iOS 26.0 23A5287g
    • Chrome (web)                         • chrome                    • web-javascript • Google Chrome 138.0.7204.101
    ! Error: Browsing on the local area network for Alan’s Apple Watch. Ensure the device is unlocked and discoverable via Bluetooth. (code -27)

[✓] Network resources [374ms]
    • All expected network resources are available.

• No issues found!

[tirth-patel-nc]

@alancook thanks for report. please avoid posting screenshots. instead, provide a minimal reproducible sample and clear steps (specifically, how the folder structure & symbolic link is set up) to reproduce the issue. thank you!

[alancook]

linkbug

Create a new folder called "Bugs" then cd to the folder

flutter create --platforms android linkbug

Then cd .. and create a folder called "code" outside of the "linkbug" project and then link the code folder
in the lib folder of the project using

ln -s YOUR_PROJECT_PATH/Bugs/code YOUR_PROJECT_PATH/Bugs/linkbug/lib

Open the project and the the lib folder you will see the linked folder

Now create a new dart file called 'link.directory.code.dart' and copy the code below to the file

####################################

import 'package:flutter/cupertino.dart';

class LinkedCode {
  // Void Function
  static void codeLinkBug() {
    debugPrint("This break point never works");// Place another break point here
  }
}

####################################

Then Place a break point on on line 7 debugPrint("This break point never works")

Ad the following code to the "main.dart" in the following

import 'code/link.directory.code.dart'; // Add this Import

class _MyHomePageState extends State<MyHomePage> {

  int _counter = 0;

// New Code to add
@override void initState() {
    super.initState(); // Set a break point here
    LinkedCode.codeLinkBug(); // Setting a break point codeLinkBug file will not break
}

....

Then on line 37 set another break point

super.initState();// Set a break point here

Run the app in debug mode the app will break on main.dart line 37, then resume and you will see the
other break point in link.directory.code.dart line 7 has changed to a delete symbol and does not break.

Notes:

On Macos you can nto set hard links, XCode can debug through symbolic directory files, but not
Android Studio, why do I use this because I can build multiple apps from shard code that it
not suitable to be in a packages.

[tirth-patel-nc]

@alancook thanks for the detailed steps, I followed all the steps exactly as described. however, I wasn't able to reproduce the issue. tested on both android studio and vscode. let me know if I'm missing something. this might be better suited for https://github.com/flutter/flutter-intellij.

Screen.Recording.2025-07-15.at.12.19.05.PM.mov

[alancook]

linkbug.mov

Thanks for looking into this, you are close. You have the second break point in the wrong place (not two break points in the main. dart file, the other one needs to go in a symbolic linked directory file), put a break point in the link.directory.code.dart file on line 7 on the debugPrint line, that should show the same condition that I have in the second image with a break point that becomes a delete icon when you run debug

static void codeLinkBug() {
debugPrint("This break point never works");// Place another break point here
}

I posted the bug in the form you recommended also.

[tirth-patel-nc]

@alancook thanks for the correction. I’ve revised the steps, the debugger does stop at the breakpoint for me, but the icon appears grey instead of red.

Screen.Recording.2025-07-16.at.1.18.39.PM.mov

[alancook]

You are stepping thought the code, only have one break point in the link.directory.code.dart file it will not stop at that point that is the problem

[tirth-patel-nc]

@alancook thanks for the update. I can reproduce this in android studio but not in vscode. please check the videos below, it’s likely better to track this at flutter/flutter-intellij:

VSCode

Screen.Recording.2025-07-17.at.12.34.35.PM.mov

Android Studio

Screen.Recording.2025-07-17.at.12.37.30.PM.mov

I noticed you’ve already filed a separate issue. we can transfer this one instead, as it contains more context.