A VS Code / Cursor extension that provides a multi-line Evaluate Expression panel for debugging, inspired by PyCharm's Evaluate Expression dialog.
Features
Multi-line code editor — evaluate many lines at once, not just single expressions
Statement mode — automatically wraps code in a function so return, loops, and multi-line logic work
Expression mode — evaluate a single expression as-is
Watches — add expressions to a watch list that auto-refreshes when the debugger stops
History — navigate through previous evaluations with Alt+Up/Down
Works with any DAP debugger — primary target is Python (debugpy), but the DAP protocol works with other languages too
Usage
Start a debug session and pause at a breakpoint
Open the Evaluate panel: Ctrl+Alt+E (or Command Palette → "Evaluate: Open Panel")
Type multi-line code in the editor
Click Evaluate (or press Ctrl+Enter)
See the result in the output area
Keybindings
Shortcut
Action
Ctrl+Alt+E
Open the Evaluate panel
Ctrl+Alt+Enter
Evaluate selected text from the editor
Ctrl+Enter
Evaluate (when focused in the panel's textarea)
Alt+Up / Alt+Down
Navigate evaluation history
Scoping Note
In Statements mode, code is wrapped in a function for execution. This means:
Mutations to existing objects (e.g., self.next = None) work as expected
New local variables created inside the snippet do NOT persist in the paused frame
Known Limitations
Variables panel does not auto-refresh after evaluating statements that mutate objects. VS Code does not expose an API for extensions to force-refresh the Variables panel without advancing execution. Workaround: after mutating a variable via the Evaluate panel, either step once (F10/F11) or type the variable name in the Debug Console to see the updated value.
Development
npm install
npm run compile
# Press F5 in VS Code/Cursor to launch the Extension Development Host
Requirements
VS Code 1.85+ or Cursor
A debug adapter that supports the DAP evaluate request (e.g., Python + debugpy)
