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Andrew Geissler517393d2023-01-13 08:55:19 -06001.. SPDX-License-Identifier: CC-BY-SA-2.0-UK
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3Using a Python Development Shell
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5
6Similar to working within a development shell as described in the
7previous section, you can also spawn and work within an interactive
8Python development shell. When debugging certain commands or even when
9just editing packages, ``pydevshell`` can be a useful tool. When you
10invoke the ``pydevshell`` task, all tasks up to and including
11:ref:`ref-tasks-patch` are run for the
12specified target. Then a new terminal is opened. Additionally, key
13Python objects and code are available in the same way they are to
14BitBake tasks, in particular, the data store 'd'. So, commands such as
15the following are useful when exploring the data store and running
16functions::
17
18 pydevshell> d.getVar("STAGING_DIR")
19 '/media/build1/poky/build/tmp/sysroots'
20 pydevshell> d.getVar("STAGING_DIR", False)
21 '${TMPDIR}/sysroots'
22 pydevshell> d.setVar("FOO", "bar")
23 pydevshell> d.getVar("FOO")
24 'bar'
25 pydevshell> d.delVar("FOO")
26 pydevshell> d.getVar("FOO")
27 pydevshell> bb.build.exec_func("do_unpack", d)
28 pydevshell>
29
Andrew Geisslerfc113ea2023-03-31 09:59:46 -050030See the ":ref:`bitbake-user-manual/bitbake-user-manual-metadata:functions you can call from within python`"
Andrew Geissler517393d2023-01-13 08:55:19 -060031section in the BitBake User Manual for details about available functions.
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33The commands execute just as if the OpenEmbedded build
34system were executing them. Consequently, working this way can be
35helpful when debugging a build or preparing software to be used with the
36OpenEmbedded build system.
37
38Following is an example that uses ``pydevshell`` on a target named
39``matchbox-desktop``::
40
41 $ bitbake matchbox-desktop -c pydevshell
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43This command spawns a terminal and places you in an interactive Python
44interpreter within the OpenEmbedded build environment. The
45:term:`OE_TERMINAL` variable
46controls what type of shell is opened.
47
48When you are finished using ``pydevshell``, you can exit the shell
49either by using Ctrl+d or closing the terminal window.
50