How to make multi-command alias in pdb Python debugger?

Python Help
1

Python 3.12 on Windows 10 Pro.

I’m trying to make this alias in the debugger and define it like this:

(Pdb) alias dir import glob myfiles = glob.glob(%1) for i in myfiles: print(i)
(Pdb) dir *.py
*** SyntaxError: invalid syntax
(Pdb)

As you can see when I use the alias I get a Syntax Error. For this example I would like to get a directory of files in the program dir based on the filespec I type in.

I did some searching and have come up empty. I can do a loop, but since Python does not seem to have a line separator like Perl does (Perl uses semi-colon at the end of lines) I’m stumped. It does seem like Python uses CRLF as a command separator.

EDIT: I have not tried putting the aliases in the .pdbrc file yet.

2

The following worked for me (note that %1 needs to be quoted):

alias dir import glob; print(glob.glob("%1"))

Alternatives:

alias dir1 import glob; _ = [print('-', x) for x in sorted(glob.glob("%1"))]
alias dir2 import glob; lis=glob.glob("%1"); print(lis)

You can also first import glob and then define an alias that uses glob. So, the semi-colon is usable to separate Python statements, just like in regular Python code.

1 Like
3

In particular in Hans’ example, note the semicolon separating each
Python statement. Your (Chuck’s) attempt had no semicolon so Python was
treating it as one statement.

1 Like
4

Oh of course! My working path contains a space, and I’m in Windows. I’ll try that.

5

These work! Thank you! This will come in handy.