How can I debug Python console_script command line apps with the VSCode debugger?

Question

I've a Python package package_name which provides a command line application command-line-app-name as console_script:

setup.py:

setup(
    ...
    entry_points={"console_scripts": ["command-line-app-name=package_name.cli:main"]},
    ...
)

The virtualenv is located in <project>/.venv and managed with pipenv. pipenv managed venvs should support VSCode debugging integration. I've created a debugger configuration launch.json file with setting the Python path to the venv (pythonPath):

{
    // Use IntelliSense to learn about possible attributes.
    // Hover to view descriptions of existing attributes.
    // For more information, visit: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=830387
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Python: command-line-app-name",
            "type": "python",
            "request": "launch",
            "stopOnEntry": false,
            "program": "command-line-app-name",
            "linux": {
                "pythonPath": "${workspaceFolder}/.venv/bin/python",
                "args": ["-r", "/home/florian/gitlab/package_name/data/Test_MRM.d"]
            },
            "windows": {
                "pythonPath": "${workspaceFolder}/.venv/Scripts/python.exe",
                "args": ["-r", "D:\\MassHunter\\Data\\demo_0000.d"],
            },
            "console": "integratedTerminal"
        }
    ]
}

The Windows and Linux specific venv python executable and command line arguments should not have an impact. If I run the debugger I get: FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/home/florian/gitlab/package-name/command-line-app-name'. It seems like I'm miss-interpreting the documentation somehow. I tried to find help w.r.t. vscode-python as well as debugpy without success. How can I debug a console script command line app (instead of a package module)?

thinwybk · Accepted Answer · 2020-10-27 16:24:55Z

console_scripts cannot be debugged out-of-the-box. The solution is to call the entry point function directly instead ("program": "${workspaceRoot}/package_name/cli.py",). This requires to add the if __name__ == '__main__': idiom in the corresponding module (here: cli.py). In my case the command line argument parser used is click. However the pseudo-code should be very similar for other command line parser libs.

package_name/cli.py:

@click.command()
@click.option(...)
def main(<args>, <kwargs>):
    ...


if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()  # pylint: disable=no-value-for-parameter

.vscode/launch.json:

{
    // Use IntelliSense to learn about possible attributes.
    // Hover to view descriptions of existing attributes.
    // For more information, visit: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=830387
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Python: command-line-app-name",
            "type": "python",
            "request": "launch",
            "stopOnEntry": false,
            "program": "${workspaceRoot}/package_name/cli.py",
            "linux": {
                "pythonPath": "${workspaceFolder}/.venv/bin/python",
                "args": ["-r", "/home/florian/gitlab/package_name/data/Test_MRM.d"]
            },
            "windows": {
                "pythonPath": "${workspaceFolder}/.venv/Scripts/python.exe",
                "args": ["-r", "D:\\MassHunter\\Data\\demo_0000.d"],
            },
            "console": "integratedTerminal"
        }
    ]
}

NOTE: The tool used to manage the venv makes a difference. This solution does work in case the venv is managed with pipenv. The solution does not work in case the venv is managed with poetry.

evolved · Accepted Answer · 2022-02-18 11:01:28Z

1

Here is a launch.json that worked for me to debug mkdocs plugins:

{
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Python: Module",
            "type": "python",
            "request": "launch",
            "console": "integratedTerminal",
            "module": "mkdocs",
            "args": ["serve"]
        }
    ]
}

mkdocs provides the mkdocs entry point that accepts several arguments such as build and serve. This launch.json allowed me to set a breakpoint in a mkdocs plugin python file and stop at that breakpoing after running the mkdocs build/serve process.

answered Feb 18, 2022 at 11:01

evolved

2,29025 silver badges43 bronze badges

1 Comment

ringo Over a year ago

Running as a module, i.e. python -m mkdocs ..., is not the same thing as running a console script, which would just look like mkdocs ....

user20199612 · Accepted Answer · 2024-10-08 15:42:51Z

I managed to debug a CLI python package by using the generated Python executable located in the .venv/bin folder. Here is the launch.json file:

{
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Debug python package CLI",
            "type": "debugpy",
            "request": "launch",
            "program": "${workspaceFolder}/.venv/bin/project-name", // Replace <project-name> with your package name
            "args": [
                "..."
            ],
            "console": "integratedTerminal",
            "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
            "env": {},
            "envFile": "${workspaceFolder}/.env",
        }
    ]
 }

Steps to Configure the Environment

1: Set up the virtual environment and install the package locally:

python -m venv .venv && source .venv/bin/activate && pip install -e .

Use the pip install -e . command to install the package in "editable" mode. This allows you to modify the code and debug it directly without needing to reinstall every time.

2: Start debugging using the Debug Python CLI configuration in VS Code as show in debug code VSC

Tip: Make sure the path to the executable (program field) points to the correct file in your virtual environment's bin directory (.venv/bin/project-name.py)

Hope this helps!

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