Python Debug Copy
Copy variables from the Python debugger in VS Code as JSON or as a Python dict, with all nested values. Plus Copy Name and Copy Path for any node of the Variables and Watch views.
Right-click a variable while stopped at a breakpoint:
| Command |
Result for catalog.element (JSON shown on one line) |
| Copy Name |
element |
| Copy Path |
catalog.element |
| Copy as JSON |
{"code": "E1", "meta": {"code": 5, "tags": ["a", "b"]}} |
| Copy as Python dict |
{'code': 'E1', 'meta': {'code': 5, 'tags': ['a', 'b']}} |
| Open as JSON |
the same JSON in a new editor tab |
Copy Name and Copy Path
Copy Name copies the name of an attribute, a list index or a dict key, without quotes: 'user_id' becomes user_id.
Copy Path copies the path from the root variable: attributes are joined with ., keys and indices go in brackets.
catalog.element.code
catalog['element']['code']
catalog.element.meta['code']
items[0]
Copy as JSON and Copy as Python dict
The value is converted inside the debugged program with json and pprint, and every nested level is copied.
- Objects become dicts: dataclasses, pydantic v1 and v2 models, attrs classes, named tuples, and plain objects (
__dict__ and __slots__).
- In JSON,
datetime, date and time become ISO strings, timedelta, Decimal and UUID become strings, bytes become text, sets and tuples become lists. In the Python dict mode they stay Python objects: datetime.date(2024, 1, 2), Decimal('1.10'), (1, 2). Paste such a result where the names it uses, like datetime or Decimal, are imported.
Enum members become their values, Path becomes a string, in both modes.- Exceptions become
{"type": "ValueError", "args": ["boom", 42]} in JSON, and stay ValueError('boom', 42) in the Python dict mode.
- numpy arrays and scalars, pandas DataFrames, Series and Timestamps are supported.
- Circular references become
"<circular reference: Type>". In JSON, NaN, Infinity and pandas NaT become null; in the Python dict mode they stay nan, inf and NaT.
You can also select an expression in the editor while debugging and pick Copy as JSON or Copy as Python dict from the context menu, or run Python Debug Copy: Copy as JSON from the Command Palette and type an expression, for example response.json().
Install
Search for Python Debug Copy in the Extensions view of VS Code, or run code --install-extension dark-dmake.python-debug-copy.
You can also download python-debug-copy-<version>.vsix from the releases, and run code --install-extension python-debug-copy-<version>.vsix.
The commands appear in debug sessions of the Python Debugger extension.
Settings
| Setting |
Default |
Description |
pythonDebugCopy.json.indent |
2 |
JSON indentation. 0 writes everything on one line |
pythonDebugCopy.json.ensureAscii |
false |
Escape non-ASCII characters as \uXXXX |
pythonDebugCopy.python.width |
100 |
Line width of the Python dict. 0 writes everything on one line |
pythonDebugCopy.sortKeys |
false |
Sort dict keys |
pythonDebugCopy.maxDepth |
100 |
Values nested deeper are replaced with a placeholder |
pythonDebugCopy.skipPrivateAttributes |
false |
Skip object attributes starting with _. Dict keys are never skipped |
pythonDebugCopy.includeTypeName |
false |
Add a "__type__" key with the class name to converted objects |
pythonDebugCopy.dataFrameOrient |
records |
How DataFrames are converted, as in DataFrame.to_dict(orient=...) |
Known limitations
- Copy Path and the Copy as commands use the expression the debugger reports for a node. Some nodes have none, for example
special variables, set items, or dict keys like enum members, and can't be copied.
- For an attribute whose name isn't a Python identifier, for example one set with
setattr(obj, 'has space', ...), the path is built with getattr(obj, 'has space') for the attribute and its direct children only. Deeper nodes below it get the path the debugger reports, which can't be evaluated.
- Converting a value runs code in the debugged program: pydantic
model_dump() and pandas to_dict() are called. Properties of plain objects are not called, only __dict__ and __slots__ are read.
- Generators and other iterators are not read, so they aren't used up.
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