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What does the %xmode magic function do and what arguments does it take?

User Sonaryr
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Final answer:

The %xmode magic function is used in IPython to control the exception reporting mode, offering options for varying levels of detail in the error output. It accepts three arguments - Plain, Context, and Verbose, with each providing a different level of detail about exceptions.

Step-by-step explanation:

The %xmode magic function is a command used in the interactive computing environment IPython, which is often employed by data scientists and researchers working in Python. This magic function controls the exception reporting mode in IPython. The purpose of %xmode is to determine how verbose the output should be when an exception is raised. By default, IPython will display a full traceback with a few lines of context around the line that caused the error.

The %xmode magic function accepts one of three arguments to adjust the verbosity:

  • Plain - Which gives a very minimal output with just the error type and message and no traceback.
  • Context - Which provides a moderate amount of information about the exception, including the specific line that caused it.
  • Verbose - Which outputs a detailed traceback, including arguments to the functions involved and the values of local variables in each frame.

Change the exception mode according to your requirement by simply calling the %xmode magic with one of the appropriate arguments.

User LinX
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