GAMS-IDE

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Embedded Python Support ​

GAMS-IDE provides Python language server features for embedded Python code sections within GAMS files. This enables code completion, hover documentation, go-to-definition, and signature help when writing Python code inside GAMS files.

Supported Embedded Code Syntax ​

GAMS supports embedding Python code using several syntax variants:

Compile Time ​

Start an embedded code section at compile time with:

gams
$onEmbeddedCode Python:
# Your Python code here
$offEmbeddedCode

Variants include:

  • $onEmbeddedCode[S|V][.tag] Python: [arguments]
  • $$onEmbeddedCode[S|V][.tag] Python: [arguments] (when not at the beginning of a line)

End with:

  • $offEmbeddedCode[.tag] {symbol[<[=]embSymbol[.dimX]]}

Execution Time ​

Start an embedded code section at execution time with:

gams
embeddedCode Python:
# Your Python code here
endEmbeddedCode

Variants include:

  • embeddedCode[S|V][.tag] [Connect|Python]: [arguments]
  • continueEmbeddedCode[S|V][.tag] [handle]: [arguments]

End with:

  • endEmbeddedCode[.tag] {output symbols}
  • pauseEmbeddedCode[.tag] {output symbols}

Features ​

Code Completion ​

When typing Python code within an embedded section, you'll get intelligent code completion from the Python language server:

  • Python built-in functions and keywords
  • Module member completion after import statements
  • Method and attribute suggestions

Hover Documentation ​

Hovering over Python identifiers shows documentation from the Python language server, including:

  • Function signatures and docstrings
  • Module documentation
  • Type information (if using type hints)

Go to Definition ​

Use "Go to Definition" (F12 or Ctrl+Click) on Python symbols to navigate to their definitions.

Signature Help ​

When calling Python functions, you'll see parameter hints showing the function signature and parameter documentation.

Example ​

gams
Set i / i1*i10 /
    p(i,i) "permutation";

$onEmbeddedCode Python:
import random

# Get set elements from GAMS
i = list(gams.get("i"))
p = list(i)

# Create random permutation
random.shuffle(p)

# Build permutation pairs
for idx in range(len(i)):
    p[idx] = (i[idx], p[idx])

# Send back to GAMS
gams.set("p", p)
$offEmbeddedCode p

display p;

Within the embedded Python section above, you'll get:

  • Completion suggestions for random.shuffle, gams.get, gams.set, etc.
  • Hover documentation for Python functions
  • Signature help when calling functions

Requirements ​

For Python language features to work, you need:

  1. A Python extension installed in VS Code (e.g., Python extension by Microsoft)
  2. A Python interpreter configured in VS Code

Limitations ​

  • The embedded Python code is analyzed in isolation from the GAMS context
  • The gams object (ECGamsDatabase) provides methods like gams.get(), gams.set(), gams.printLog(), but full type information may not be available without stub files
  • Language features work best for standard Python code and installed packages

See Also ​