What is iw.debug

This package allow you to start the ipython debugger (ipdb) on any objects in zope. For that you have to add /ipdb to the url of any object. And if your zope instance is in debug mode it will start the ipdb in your terminal.

Exploring objects

Run your zope instance in foreground:

./bin/zopectl fg

Call an url ended with /ipdb:

wget http://localhost:8080/portal/ipdb

Then you get ipdb prompt in your console:

ipdb>

Typing ll will show you a few locals:

ipdb> ll
Out[0]:
{'context': <PloneSite at /portal>,
 'meth': None,
 'portal': <PloneSite at /portal>,
 'request': <HTTPRequest, URL=http://localhost:8080/portal/ipdb/pdb>,
 'view': None}

Debuging objects views and methods

You can also use a query string in the url to debug a callable:

wget http://localhost:8080/portal/ipdb?v=__repr__

Then back to your console:

ipdb> ll
Out[0]:
{'context': <PloneSite at /portal>,
 'meth': <bound method PloneSite.__repr__ of <PloneSite at /portal>>,
 'portal': <PloneSite at /portal>,
 'request': <HTTPRequest, URL=http://localhost:8080/portal/ipdb/pdb>,
 'view': None}

If a browser view is found, then it will be used as callable:

wget http://localhost:8080/portal/ipdb?v=rules-controlpanel

Then back to your console:

ipdb> ll
ipdb> Out[0]:
{'context': <PloneSite at /portal>,
 'meth': None,
 'portal': <PloneSite at /portal>,
 'request': <HTTPRequest, URL=http://localhost:8080/portal/ipdb/pdb>,
 'view': <Products.Five.metaclass.ContentRulesControlPanel object at ...>}

For both view and callable, you can enter in it by typing s:

ipdb> s
ipdb> --Call--
> /../plone/app/contentrules/browser/controlpanel.py(18)__call__()
     17
---> 18     def __call__(self):
     19         form = self.request.form

If you want to pass extra args to the callable do something like:

wget http://localhost:8080/portal/ipdb?v=myview&arg1=value1&arg2:int=2

Extra args will be passed to the callable as keyword arguments.

Add iw.debug to your plone3 buildout

In the [buildout] section of your buildout.cfg add:

[buildout]
...
# Add additional eggs here
# elementtree is required by Plone
eggs =
  elementtree
  iw.debug
  ...

Then in the [instance] section:

[instance]
...
# If you want to register ZCML slugs for any packages, list them here.
# e.g. zcml = my.package my.other.package
zcml = iw.debug
       ...