Interactive console using Pydev in Eclipse?

Question

I'm debugging my Python code in Eclipse using the Pydev plugin. I'm able to open a Pydev console and it gives me two options: "Console for currently active editor" and "Python console". However none of them is useful to inspect current variable status after a breakpoint.

For example, the code stopped at a breakpoint and I want to inspect an "action" variable using the console. However my variables are not available. How can I do things like "dir(action)", etc? (even if it is not using a console).

Answer 1

I'm able to do something using watches, but it is not interactive enough. Any ideas about an interactive console then?

Answer 2

Double click on "action" or any other variable.

ctrl+shift+D

And if you're using watches, I cant imagine better interaction. You are able to see every change.

Answer 3

This feature is documented here:

http://pydev.org/manual_adv_debug_console.html

Answer 4

When I set a break point and hit F11 Eclipse launches the debugger and prompts to open the "Debug Perspective". You can then open the Window-->Show View --> Expressions which opens the expressions view, you can then right click in the Expressions view windows and choose "Add Watch Expression" to add any expression(such as dir) Conversely I was also able to type in dir(some expression) in the PyDev console and get the same effect. I'm using PyDev 1.4.6.2788

Answer 5

The console that opens in the debug perspective is in fact interactive, although it took me a while to realize it. You need to hit return twice after typing something and then it gets evaluated. More info on the Pydev site here: http://pydev.org/manual_adv_debug_console.html