Debugging a Python Toolbox using Visual Studio Code

[Brian_Wilson]

I found the docs on using Visual Studio and PyCharm but I wonder if anyone has had success with Visual Studio Code?

I set up launch.json and I can attach to ArcGISPro.exe but I am not sure what comes after that. I can set breakpoints in my .py file from the IDE but they are never hit.

I use F5 to run and wait for the status bar to go orange which indicates it's running. I must be very close, because I can see print() statement output in the IDE's Debug Console window.

I am running ArcGIS Pro 2.8 on Windows 10 using the newest VS Code.

If you are interested in seeing the Python code, it's here

https://github.com/Wildsong/ArcGIS_Python_Template

My launch.json looks like this

{
  "version": "0.2.0",  "configurations": [
    {
      "name": "Python: Attach using Process Id",
      "type": "python",
      "request": "attach",
      "processId": "${command:pickProcess}"
    },
    {
      "name": "Python: Current File",
      "type": "python",
      "request": "launch",
      "program": "${file}",
      "console": "integratedTerminal"
    }
  ]
}

Happy Friday!

[ErickPoundFDNY]

Hi Brian,

Did you ever find a resolution to this? I'm in the same boat currently. Thanks.

[OrrGvili]

what worked for me

1. run ArcGIS pro (3.0)

2. open vs code with the script open 

3. in vs code  run and Debug , then select  attach using process ID 

and select the ArcGIS pro processed

run the gp tool in  ArcGIS pro  

[ErickPoundFDNY]

Doesn't seem to work for me. It seems to attach but it runs in AGP without hitting the breakpoints.

I tried a couple different routes:

1. Debug on the tool script

2. Debug on the toolbox (pyt)

3. Removing and re-adding the toolbox.

I get the debug pane in VS (variables, call stack, etc) but no breakpoints. How is your toolbox laid out?

[OrrGvili]

since the move to arcPro 3 
its not working as expected 

[Stefan_Schlaefli]

For me it does work with debugpy breakpoints but not with visualstudio breakpoints. For using debugpy import debugpy in your python tool file (.pyt) :

import debugpy

on those lines where you want the debugger to stop, call debugpy's breakpoint() method: 

debugpy.breakpoint()

Then run and debug add a debug configuration that let's you pickup the Process ID of the running ArcGIS Pro application: 

 {
            "name": "Python: Attach using Process Id",
            "type": "python",
            "request": "attach",
            "processId": "${command:pickProcess}",
            "justMyCode": true
 }

Start debugging, wait for the debugger to connect and then run the Python Tool in ArcGIS Pro. The debugger will stop wherever the debugpy.breakpoint() call was set. 

[ErickPoundFDNY]

I have taken to running the tools outside AGP entirely. It has sped up development by sidestepping the 'reload toolbox' requirement. That said, I would still like to get this going if anyone finally cracks this.

[AndyDixon]

I've just come across this post after searching for the solution for a while, this was the closest I got as well. I can see print commands but can't see any of the variables or watched expressions. Anyone managed to get this working in the last year?

[AndresCastillo]

I used this blog, which helped me create a .py file that I can use with vs code to debug using the default launch.json:
https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/arcgis-desktop/analytics/how-to-debug-python-toolboxes-in-...

here are other resources that might be of interest:
https://mfcallahan.blog/2022/10/11/configuring-vs-code-for-arcpy-arcgis-pro-development/

https://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/latest/analyze/creating-tools/debugging-a-toolvalidator-class.h...

https://github.com/microsoft/debugpy/issues/431