Console¶

The Console panel displays output, errors, and logging information from your Python code execution. It's an essential tool for debugging and monitoring code behavior.

Overview¶

The Console is located at the bottom of the IDE and shows:

Standard output (print() statements)
Standard error (exceptions and errors)
System messages (IDE notifications)
Execution status (running, completed, failed)

Output Types¶

The console uses color-coding for different message types:

Standard Output (White/Default)¶

Regular print statements and normal output:

print("Hello, World!")  # White text
print("Calculation complete")  # White text

Errors (Red)¶

Python exceptions and error messages:

# Red text showing error
raise ValueError("Invalid input")
# Traceback in red

Warnings (Yellow)¶

Warning messages from XPyCode core processes.

Print Messages (Blue)¶

Informational logging:

print("Starting data processing")  # Blue text

Success Messages (Green)¶

Success indicators from the IDE:

Code execution completed successfully  # Green text

Console Settings¶

Configure console behavior in File → Settings → Console:

Output Level¶

Control which messages appear:

SIMPLE - Messages for usual users
DETAILED - More messages, including a more verbose communication for advanced users
COMPLETE - Show everything. Including some logging messages from all XPyCode components

Default: COMPLETE

Max Lines¶

Maximum number of lines to keep in console:

Default: 1000
Range: 100-10000
Older lines are automatically removed

Prevents memory issues with long-running scripts.

Clear on Run¶

Automatically clear console when running code:

Default: Enabled
When disabled: Output accumulates across runs

Console Only IDE¶

Show only messages for functions launched via the IDE:

Default: Disabled
When enabled: Hides messages (print, error, ....) from functions launched within Excel (functions and events)
Useful for cleaner output

Console Settings — Console settings in Settings dialog

Console Features¶

Auto-Scroll¶

Console automatically scrolls to show new output:

Scrolls to bottom when new messages arrive
Stop auto-scroll by manually scrolling up
Resume auto-scroll by scrolling to bottom

Text Selection¶

Select and copy console text:

Click and drag to select
Ctrl+C to copy
Ctrl+A to select all
Right-click → Copy

Right-click in the console for quick actions:

Copy - Copy selected text
Select All - Select all text
Clear - Remove all output

Execution Feedback¶

The console provides feedback during code execution:

Before Execution¶

Running function: module_name.test_function() for workbook: Book1.xlsx

During Execution¶

print("Processing row 1...")
print("Processing row 2...")
print("Processing row 3...")

Output appears in real-time as code runs.

After Execution¶

Success:

Out: 'This is a function return'
Execution completed successfully for test_function()

Error:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "D:\Project\xpycode_master_repo-main\xpycode_master\python_server\kernel.py", line 1993, in execute_function
    raise e
  File "D:\Project\xpycode_master_repo-main\xpycode_master\python_server\kernel.py", line 1967, in execute_function
    result = func(*deserialized_args)
  File "<virtual:todel2>", line 8, in dividingByZero
    a=1/0
      ~^~
ZeroDivisionError: division by zero

Error Display

Errors appear in red in the actual console for easy identification.

Error Messages¶

Python error messages are displayed in different locations depending on where the code was executed:

IDE Console: Shows errors when code is run from the IDE, or when the Console Only IDE setting is disabled
Add-In Console: Shows errors from UDFs (User Defined Functions) or event handlers triggered from Excel

Using print() Effectively¶

Basic Output¶

print("Hello, World!")
print("Value:", 42)

Formatted Output¶

name = "Alice"
score = 95
print(f"{name} scored {score} points")

Multiple Values¶

print("Values:", 1, 2, 3, sep=", ")  # Values: 1, 2, 3

Debug Information¶

def calculate(x, y):
    print(f"calculate({x}, {y})")  # Debug: function called
    result = x + y
    print(f"  result = {result}")  # Debug: intermediate value
    return result

Troubleshooting¶

Output Not Appearing¶

Check output level setting (should be "COMPLETE" to see everything)
Verify code is actually running (no syntax errors)
Ensure output commands are being reached (not inside unexecuted branches)
Check if "Console Only IDE" filter is hiding messages

Too Much Output¶

Reduce output level (SIMPLE or DETAILED only)
Remove or comment out debug print statements
Increase "Max Lines" setting
Enable "Clear on Run" to start fresh each time

Console Freezing¶

Very long lines can slow rendering—break them up
Too many messages too quickly can cause lag
Clear console if it has reached maximum capacity
Kill with Exit and restart the IDE (or used the advanced function in the add-in)

Next Steps¶

Debugging

Learn to use the debugger with breakpoints and variable inspection.

Debugging Guide
Settings

Configure console output level, max lines, and filters.

Settings Guide
Troubleshooting

Solutions to common console and output issues.

Troubleshooting

Effective Debugging

The console is your window into code execution. Use it actively with print statements and logging to understand what your code is doing.