$attach command unavailable in Standard REPL/immediat

Environment data

• PTVS version: 15.7.18156.1-15.0
• OS and version: Windows 10 (v1803 build 17134.167)
• Python version (& distribution if applicable, e.g. Anaconda): Python 3.6.6
• Visual Studio 2017 (15.7.6)

Actual behavior

In the interactive window the $attach command is not available:

Expected behavior

The $attach command should be available and attach the debugger

Steps to reproduce:

1. Create a new project from existing code
2. Create Python 3.6 env
3. Open a REPL window
4. Type $attach

Maybe I’m doing something wrong?

[syagev]

I have to say that even after reading the docs multiple times, there’s something I’m missing.

I want to debug a function called from an interactive window. So if I have a function a I want to put a breakpoint on the first line of the definition of a and type a() in the debug window and then step line-by-line. I thought this use case might be available through $attach.

I also tried putting one breakpoint on the first line in a’s function body, and another breakpoint right after the defenition of a. I then run the file using the regular debugger (F5), skip the first breakpoint and pause on the second one. Now via the ‘Debug’ REPL window, I type a(). The function executes but my first breakpoint is not hit.

So how should I be doing it?

[syagev]

OK managed to get this working. I have to say that it the path to get to this point is completely non-trivial and shoud probably be documented somewhere.

As far as I’m concerned my original problem is solved, however the docs really aren’t updated about this in any way so I suggest regarding this issue as applied to the docs only. You can close at your discretion. Thanks for the help!