Archive:Debug python scripts with WinPDB

You can easily debug python scripts running inside XBMC in a few simple steps!

Requirements

• XBMC installed on Linux or Windows (should also work fine on Mac)
• Install WinPDB. Download the binary installer for Windows or Mac, use this command for Linux:

  $ sudo apt-get install winpdb

• On Mac, Windows and some Linux distros you will also need to install wxPython. Always use the 32-bit version.

Create a symlink for the debugger

How to make a symlink in Linux

• Assuming your script's name is Foo

$ cd /home/<user>/.xbmc/scripts/Foo
$ ln -s `find /usr/lib/pymodules -name rpdb2.py`

How to make a symlink in Windows

• At Command Prompt type the equivalent of this, with your own paths:

mklink "C:\Program Files (x86)\XBMC\addons\plugin.video.icefilms\rpdb2.py" "C:\Python27\Scripts\rpdb2.py"

The first path makes the link in your addon folder, the second path points to where the original rpdb2.py file can be found.

Modify your script to enable debugger

• Edit /home/<user>/.xbmc/scripts/Foo/default.py and add the following code to the top

import rpdb2 
rpdb2.start_embedded_debugger('pw')

How to start WinPDB

• Linux: (Desktop Menu Bar -> Applications -> Programming -> Winpdb)
• Windows/Mac: Execute winpdb.py. For a quicker launch, make shortcut on desktop for (example location:)

C:\Python27\Scripts\winpdb.py

Start debugging session

• From within XBMC, start your script (it will appear to sit there and hang)
• Start WinPDB
• In WinPDB, select File->Password and enter "pw" (no quotes)
• Select File->Attach. You should see your running script in the list box along with its PID and filename.
• Select your script and click OK. The debugger is now attached to your script.

Setting breakpoints

TBD

Screenshot