JetBrains/intellij-community · error · CantRunException

Shared memory address unspecified

Error message

Shared memory address unspecified

What it means

Error "Shared memory address unspecified" thrown in JetBrains/intellij-community.

Source

Thrown at java/debugger/impl/src/com/intellij/debugger/engine/DebugProcessImpl.java:758

        String debuggerHostName = myConnection.getDebuggerHostName();
        if (debuggerHostName != null) {
          setConnectorArgument("localAddress", debuggerHostName);
        }
      }
      else { // is client mode, should attach to already running process
        if (myConnection.isUseSockets()) {
          String debuggerHostName = myConnection.getDebuggerHostName();
          if (debuggerHostName != null) {
            setConnectorArgument("hostname", debuggerHostName);
          }
          if (port == null) {
            throw new CantRunException(JavaDebuggerBundle.message("error.no.debug.attach.port"));
          }
          setConnectorArgument("port", port);
        }
        else {
          if (port == null) {
            throw new CantRunException(JavaDebuggerBundle.message("error.no.shmem.address"));
          }
          setConnectorArgument("name", port);
        }
        setConnectorArgument("timeout", "0"); // wait forever
      }
      return connector instanceof AttachingConnector
             ? attachConnector((AttachingConnector)connector)
             : connectorListen(port, (ListeningConnector)connector);
    }
    catch (IOException e) {
      throw new ExecutionException(processIOException(e, JavaDebuggerBundle.getAddressDisplayName(myConnection)), e);
    }
    catch (IllegalConnectorArgumentsException e) {
      throw new ExecutionException(processError(e), e);
    }
    finally {
      myArguments = null;
    }

View on GitHub (pinned to be881553f2)

Solutions

1. Specify the shared memory transport address in the debug configuration.
2. On Windows the address is a name (e.g. 'javadebug'); it must match the target JVM's address= value.

Example fix

Target started with -agentlib:jdwp=transport=dt_shmem,server=y,address=javadebug -> set Shared memory address: javadebug.

When it happens

Trigger: A shared-memory attach debug session is started without an address.

Common situations: A dt_shmem-based configuration with the Shared memory address field left empty.

AI-assisted analysis of JetBrains/intellij-community@be881553f2 (2026-08-14). Data as JSON: /api/errors/9903e363440a00e2. Report an issue: GitHub.