Using Variable Explorer in Spyder (Python) to View Other Namespaces

Question

Is it possible to view namespaces other than Global in the Spyder variable explorer? I'd like to clean up my code to get things into main(), but I still need to take a look at variable contents at this stage in development.

EDIT: Assume my script currently only contains:

a = 2
b = 4
c = a + b

I run this in Spyder, I can use the variable explorer post-run to view a, b, and c. Now if I wrap this in main(), per less-bad coding practice:

def main():
   a = 2
   b = 4
   c = a + b

Now I can no longer view them post-run in the variable explorer. (The comment suggests a breakpoint, but this is being used to interface to an instrument in real-time, so I can't pause execution). /end EDIT.

Are my only choices to either (1) leave the code with variables I need to look at outside of a function or (2) export the variables I'll want to examine into the global namespace from main()? Either solution leaves me with something to do/undo later.

Answer 1

Sorry, this is not possible at the moment with Spyder. This is the closest thing you can do to get the result you want:

import inspect

local_vars = {}

def main():
    global local_vars
    a = 2
    b = 4
    c = a+b
    local_vars = inspect.currentframe().f_locals
    return c

main()

After running it you should see that the local_vars dictionary contains the local variables defined inside the main function.

Note: After giving double-click to local_vars contents, Spyder will open a new window which is basically equivalent to the view shown in our variable explorer but only with your local variables.