Issue
I'm using Linux Eclipse (pydev) as IDE to develop python scripts that are launched by an application written in C++. I can debug the python script without problems in the IDE, but the environment is not real (the C++ program sends and receives messages through the stdin/stdout and it's a complex communication channel that I can't fully reproduce writing the messages by hand).
Until now I was using log messages to debug (poor man's debug) but it's getting too complex. When I do something similar in PHP I can just leave xdebug listening and add breakpoints in Netbeans. Very neat and easy. Is it possible to do something like that in Python 3.X (with Eclipse or other IDE)?
NOTE: I know there is a Pydev / Attach to Process functionality, but it doesn't work. Always fails to attach.
NOTE2: There is also a built-in "breakpoint()" in Python 3.7 but it links to a debugger and if also fails, the IDE never gets the control.
Solution
After some research, this is the best option I have found. Without any other solution provided, I post it just in case anyone has the same problem.
Python has an integrated debugger: pdb. It works as a module and it doesn't allow to use it if you don't have the window control (i.e. you launch the script).
To solve this there are some coders that have created modules that add a layer on pdb. I have tried some and the most easy and still visual interesting is rpudb (but have a look also to this).
To install it:
pip3 install https://github.com/msbrogli/rpudb/archive/master.zip
(if you install it using the pip3 install rpudb command it will install an old version only valid for python 2)
Then, you use it just adding an import and a function call:
import rpudb
.....
rpudb.set_trace('127.0.0.1', 4444)
.....
Launch the program and it will stop in the set_trace call. To debug it (and continue) open a terminal and launch a telnet like this:
telnet 127.0.0.1 4444
You will have a visual debugger in front of you with the advantage that you can not only debug local programs, but also remote (just change the IP).
Answered By - Ivan
Answer Checked By - Pedro (JavaFixing Volunteer)
