Enter Interactive Mode In Python

Question

I'm running my Python program and have a point where it would be useful to jump in and see what's going on, and then step out again. Sort of like a temporary console mode.

In Matlab, I'd use the keyboard command to do this, but I'm not sure what the command is in python.

Is there a way to do this?

For instance:

for thing in set_of_things:     enter_interactive_mode_here()     do_stuff_to(thing) 

When enter_interactive_mode() calls, I'd like to go there, look around, and then leave and have the program continue running.

Answer 1

code.interact() seems to work somehow:

>>> import code >>> def foo(): ...     a = 10 ...     code.interact(local=locals()) ...     return a ...  >>> foo() Python 3.6.5 (default, Apr  1 2018, 05:46:30)  [GCC 7.3.0] on linux Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information. (InteractiveConsole) >>> a 10 

Ctrl+Z returns to the "main" interpreter.

You can read the locals, but modifying them doesn't seem to work this way.

Answer 2

python -i myapp.py 

This will execute myapp.py and drop you in the interactive shell. From there you can execute functions and check their output, with the whole environment (imports, etc.) of myapp.py loaded.

For something more sophisticated - it would be better to use a debugger like pdb, setting a breakpoint. Also, most IDEs (PyDev, PyCharm, Komodo...) have graphical debuggers.