Looking for techniques to debug external Python Flask Extensions

Question

I'm using several third party flask-extensions (flask-login, flask-security, flask-principal, flask-mongoengine etc...the list is about 12 deep) in an application that is failing silently in production environment (currently AppFog Paas)

I'm specifically trying to debug an issue with flask-security (I "think", but it could just as easily be flask-login, flask-mongoengine or any plugin in my authentication pipeline) since it has to do with logging in and redirecting the user to through the application.

I notice several things about flask extensions that's making them a big quirky/difficult to work with:

1. most don't have any debug logging in them
2. some have partial support for configuring (like using your own templates)
3. they install into the environment (I'm using virtualenv) as opposed to an application "plugins/extensions" directory

I'm wondering if there's some guidance around:

1. installing plugins into the project, so they can be quickly modified (maybe logging added) and then pushed into production without having to fork a github project and repackage it.
2. Standard logging practices for 3rd party extensions, or anything that would help trace the code
3. Any information/tips to help me debug my current problems

Thanks.

Answer 1

I'm going to just answer my own question and say the best/easiest thing to do is just pull the extensions code into my project and modify as I need it.

Seems like this will be the case with several Flask-extensions that involve more view/template code than pure infrastructure (like flask-security/flask-login, etc.)