Programmatically start debug

PlatformIO IDE
1

Hi,

I have successfully implemented custom menu options in PlatformIO to execute Makefile operations through Python scripts. These work as expected.

I am now looking to extend this functionality to include debugger controls. Specifically, I would like to programmatically invoke the VSCode/PlatformIO debug commands that are available under “Quick Access → Debug”:

  • “Start Debugging” (equivalent to F5)

  • “Toggle Debug Console”

Is there a mechanism available within PlatformIO’s Python scripting environment to call these VSCode commands from a custom menu handler?

Any guidance would be appreciated.

Kind regards, Gary

2

I know you can start a debug session (and launch into GDB) with

pio debug --interface=gdb -- -x .pioinit

per docs, but not sure how you would trigger the “Start Debugging” action.. Essentially it’s a launch of the debug configuration in the launch.json. I’m not sure this is something that a Python script called by the PlatformIO core can trigger at all, since this has to do with VSCode.

3

Hi

I found a solution; quite a simple one, but also a hack. Inside a pre:script.py, check it’s args for “debug”, and if found, force a build :slight_smile:

Gary

4

If pio debug is started, then it automatically does a build – why was an extra one needed?

5

This was true when using PlatformIO’s build manager; but the client wanted to use their existing makefile (which was also used on CI/CD system etc). So when pressing F5, a pre:script.py is called, check made on args to see if any are “debug”, and if so, run the makefile.

It’s a little more complicated than that, but you get the idea :slight_smile: