How to call help() from within pdb

Question

I'd like to have the interactivity of pdb, but also need to use python's help function to introspect objects/methods that I am not familiar with using.

How can I use python's help() from pdb?

everything I try gives me:

(Pdb) help(help)
*** No help on (help)
(Pdb) help(list())
*** No help on (list())

I don't think you can unfortunately (it drives me crazy too). I usually have another tab with the interpreter running so that I can call help(). I really hope I'm wrong and there's a way to do this. — notorious.no
– notorious.no, Commented Apr 8, 2015 at 19:30

valdarin · Accepted Answer · 2015-04-08 19:31:23Z

12

If you want to evaluate an expression using PDB, you use p.

(Pdb) p help(list)

The debugger command docs are here: PDB Debugger Commands

answered Apr 8, 2015 at 19:31

valdarin

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MarcoMag · Accepted Answer · 2017-03-21 10:10:19Z

4

I had problems to get help from pdb too but apparently, inserting ! before the command does the job like:

(Pdb++) !help(help)

answered Mar 21, 2017 at 10:10

MarcoMag

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1 Comment

ThorSummoner Over a year ago

Worked for me - Can you reference and authority that indicates this should be the cannonical answer?

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