The option "Python/Native Debugging" is missing from the list of avialable debuggers even though python native development tools are installed

Question

The option "Python/Native Debugging" is missing from the list of avialable debuggers even though python native development tools are installed

Im using VS 2022 Community Edition on Windows 10. When i check all boxes in Python development under Visual Studio Installer there is nothing to modify. So i guess everything is installed. But there is no option for "Python/Native" debugger in project settings. Just a couple days ago everything worked fine on VS2019. I had to clean install Windows and decided to migrate to VS2022. I've already tried repairing VS. That did not help

Tianyu Sun-MSFT 34,691 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2022-05-23T13:57:08.17+00:00

Hi @Володимир Кравчук , welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum. Could you please try to uncheck(uninstall) the Python native development tools > Modify > and then recheck(reinstall) the Python native development tools in VS Installer, and reboot your machine to see if it works?
Володимир Кравчук 6 Reputation points

2022-05-23T16:57:13.877+00:00

That was one of the first things i've done and that did not help neither
Jayanth Peddi 0 Reputation points

2024-11-03T09:45:50.8033333+00:00
Uninstall and Reinstall Python Native Tools

If repairing didn't work, try uninstalling and then reinstalling the Python native development tools:

In the Visual Studio Installer, go to the "Modify" section.

Uncheck Python native development tools, apply changes, then check it again and apply changes. This forces a fresh installation of those components.

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Your answer

Tianyu Sun-MSFT 34,691 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2022-05-23T13:57:08.17+00:00

Hi @Володимир Кравчук , welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum. Could you please try to uncheck(uninstall) the Python native development tools > Modify > and then recheck(reinstall) the Python native development tools in VS Installer, and reboot your machine to see if it works?
Володимир Кравчук 6 Reputation points

2022-05-23T16:57:13.877+00:00

That was one of the first things i've done and that did not help neither
Jayanth Peddi 0 Reputation points

2024-11-03T09:45:50.8033333+00:00

Uninstall and Reinstall Python Native Tools

If repairing didn't work, try uninstalling and then reinstalling the Python native development tools:

In the Visual Studio Installer, go to the "Modify" section.

Uncheck Python native development tools, apply changes, then check it again and apply changes. This forces a fresh installation of those components.

Answer 1

Tianyu Sun-MSFT 34,691 Microsoft External Staff

Hi @Володимир Кравчук ,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.

After doing some check and test, I think this may be a potential issue, as some Python and Debugging related files are not installed in the correct folder.

I suggest you try following workaround currently:

Go to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Msbuild\Microsoft\VC\v170\Platforms\x64\ImportAfter folder and check if Microsoft.PythonTools.Debugger.VCDebugLauncher.targets and Microsoft.PythonTools.Debugger.VCDebugLauncher.xaml files exist. If they don’t exist, please navigate to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Msbuild\Microsoft\VC\v160\Platforms\x64\ImportAfter folder, find and copy the existing one or two of them to the previous C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Msbuild\Microsoft\VC\v170\Platforms\x64\ImportAfter folder. Then close all VS instances and open VS again to check if the Python/Native Debugging option appears.

Best Regards,
Tianyu

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Flex 6 Reputation points

2022-12-07T10:38:08.007+00:00

Hi Support,

Indeed, on a fresh installation the Python/Native Debugging is missing, and the proposed action helps bring it back to the menu. However, it doesn't quite work. I've just checked that the samples like https://devblogs.microsoft.com/python/embedding-python-in-a-cpp-project-with-visual-studio/ work perfectly on a vanilla VS-2017 installation, but refuse to work with VS-2022 installation with the aforementioned "fix".The symbols are seen as loaded, but the breakpoints just won't hit! I assume there's something in addition which needs to be done in order to bring feature back.

Please contact your feature responsible engineering manager asap.

Thanks!
Tianyu Sun-MSFT 34,691 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2022-12-08T13:19:24.77+00:00

Hi Flex,

I think this is the thread: Native/Python Debugging not available in fresh VS-2022 installations which you post on GitHub. I help to add the link here for better tracking this issue. Please continue following up that thread on GitHub and waiting for the updated information.

Thanks for your patience and thanks for helping us make Visual Studio better.
Joshua Kriegshauser 5 Reputation points

2023-02-03T22:26:56.3466667+00:00

The proposed workaround did not add the debug option for me. The xaml file was missing, but adding it had no effect.
Corey Shay 0 Reputation points

2024-11-03T04:48:47.9266667+00:00

Visual Studio Professional version 17.11.2: The python debugger option is still missing. There is no ImportAfter folder present for me in either C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Professional\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v170\Platforms\x64 or C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Professional\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v160\Platforms\x64

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The option "Python/Native Debugging" is missing from the list of avialable debuggers even though python native development tools are installed

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