If your launch script allows you to specify a python target (and finishes quickly enough), you can use pythonArgs in launch.json to insert a shim.

.vscode/launch.json

{
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Launch via Shell Script",
            "type": "python",
            "pythonArgs": ["debug_shim.py", "launch.sh"],
            "args": ["your", "app", "args"],
            "request": "launch",
            "program": "app.py"
        }
    ]
}

debug_shim.py

import os, subprocess, sys

launcher, debugger, debugger_args = sys.argv[1], sys.argv[2], sys.argv[3:]

sys.exit(subprocess.run(
    args=[launcher] + debugger_args,
    env=dict(os.environ, LAUNCH_TARGET=debugger),
    stdin=sys.stdin,
    stdout=sys.stdout,
    stderr=sys.stderr,
).returncode)

launch.sh

#!/usr/bin/env bash

# Or target could be passed along the command line as well.
# LAUNCH_TARGET="${1?}"

# ...stuff...

python "${LAUNCH_TARGET-app.py}" "${@}"

In my setup of v1.80.0 on WSL2, the debugger call is like so:

python python_args... debugger debugger_args... app app_args...

Then the call stack will be vscode -> shim -> launcher -> debugger -> app and the debugger will connect seamlessly, although if it takes more than several seconds VSCode will time out.

Specify the module you want to run with "module": "torch.distributed.launch"

You can ignore the -m flag. Put everything else under the args key.

Note: Make sure to include --nproc_per_node and the name of file (main_swav.py) in the list of arguments

{
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Python: Current File",
            "type": "debugpy",
            "module": "torch.distributed.launch",
            "request": "launch",
            "console": "integratedTerminal",
            "args": [
                "--nproc_per_node", "1", 
                "main_swav.py",
                "--data_path", "/dataset/imagenet/train",
            ]
        }
    ]
}

Read more here: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/python/debugging#_module

I think the --City and Auckland are used as a single argument. Maybe try separating them like so...

Single argument

"args": ["--city","Auckland"]

Multiple arguments and multiple values

Such as:

--key1 value1 value2 --key2 value3 value4

Just put them into the args list one by one in sequence:

"args": ["--key1", "value1", "value2", "--key2", "value3", "value4"]

Mind that providing arguments in launch.json works like described until you need key/value pair args.

For example, the command

$ python main.py --verbose --name Test

has to be coded inside the launch.json arguments line like this:

"args": ["--verbose", "--name=Test"],

Find a nearly hidden hint in the "Watson" example in Python debug configurations in Visual Studio Code.

Everything seems to be working now, the solution was to move my main.yml file into .github/workflows. I also moved my_file.py from alternate branch into the master branch.

One helpful comment recommended specifying the ref branch where you run my_file.py if my_file.py is not located in the default branch.