xlOil Python Debugging

Visual Studio

Visual Studio 2019 with Python Tools installed can break into xlOil python code. Attach to the relevant Excel process by selecting only Python Code debugging. As of Aug 2022, mixed mode debugging (both Python and Native C code) does not work - Python breakpoints are not hit.

VS Code

VS Code can break into xlOil python code. You need to start the debug server in your code with

import debugpy
debugpy.listen(('localhost', 5678))

Then use the python extension’s remote debugger to connect.

Pdb

Follow instructions for Exception Debugging, the use the command breakpoint() to trigger the debugger

Exception Debugging

xlOil can be configured to break into a debugger when an exception occurs in user code. To do this execute the following in a loaded module:

import xloil.debug
xloil.debug.exception_debug('pdb')

Alternatively, excecute =xloPyDebug(“pdb”) in a cell; give no argument to turn off debugging.

Current debuggers supported are:

• ‘pdb’: opens a console window with pdb active at the exception point

• None: Turns off exception debugging

If exception_debug is specified more than once, the last value is used. It is a global but not persistent setting.