I press F5 to debug a VSCode extension and VSCode will open a new window that will contain the extension. The extension will open a new VSCode window to open a specific project. But this new VSCode window didn't contain the extension and I can't debug it anymore. What can I do? 😩
Not sure if you are looking for a specific extension. If you have already installed the debugger extension, Try to uninstall/reinstall.
Your automatically generated extension launch configuration should look like this:
{
"version": "0.2.0",
"configurations": [
{
"name": "Run Extension",
"type": "extensionHost",
"request": "launch",
"runtimeExecutable": "${execPath}",
"args": [
"${workspaceFolder}/../OneDrive/Test Bed", // add the path here
"--extensionDevelopmentPath=${workspaceFolder}"
]
},
{
"name": "Extension Tests",
"type": "extensionHost",
"request": "launch",
"runtimeExecutable": "${execPath}",
"args": [
"--extensionDevelopmentPath=${workspaceFolder}",
"--extensionTestsPath=${workspaceFolder}/test/suite/index"
]
}
]
}
You see in the Run Extension configuration that I added a path from the extension's ${workspaceFolder} up one level and then into my OneDrive folder to another folder named Test Bed. That Test Bed folder will be opened in the first ExtensionHost window that is opened when you F5 and you can debug the extension using that folder immediately.
I am writing a test suite for my VS Code extension using vscode-extension-tester, and my tests need to involve the opening of a workspace file. I need the workspace file to be opened as soon as the browser is launched, in order for my subsequent tests to pass.
I am able to open the workspace file as a separate test; however, I was wondering if there's any setting that allows the workspace to be opened before any test is launched. Is there a way to do this with vscode-extension-tester?
The way I handle this is through my launch configuration (launch.json).
Using an extensionHost type launch configuration you can pass a workspace file. This means that the code instance will open with the given workspace active whenever you execute it.
For example:
{
"version": "0.2.0",
"configurations": [
{
"name": "Run Extension",
"type": "extensionHost",
"request": "launch",
"args": [
"${workspaceFolder}/src/test/workspace/workspace.code-workspace",
"--extensionDevelopmentPath=${workspaceFolder}"
],
"outFiles": [
"${workspaceFolder}/dist/**/*.js"
],
"preLaunchTask": "${defaultBuildTask}"
},
{
"name": "Extension Tests",
"type": "extensionHost",
"request": "launch",
"args": [
"${workspaceFolder}/src/test/workspace/workspace.code-workspace",
"--extensionDevelopmentPath=${workspaceFolder}",
"--extensionTestsPath=${workspaceFolder}/out/test/suite/index"
],
"outFiles": [
"${workspaceFolder}/out/**/*.js",
"${workspaceFolder}/dist/**/*.js"
],
"preLaunchTask": "tasks: watch-tests"
}
]
}
Note the path to workspace.code-workspace that is specified as an arg to both of these launch configs.
You will likely already have launch configs like this for running and testing your extension if you used Yo Code to generate your extension at the start of development.
So in summary:
Create your workspace
Store the workspace file accordingly (for me it made sense to be within ./src/test)
Configure extensionHost type launch configs with a path to the workspace file given as an arg in the args array.
I am working in a monorepo that has jest.config.js and package.json files in subfolders that represent independent projects in this monorepo, example:
items/thing/
items/other/
items/something/
In VSCode, if I have a test file in focus, I can then use this config item to run that test file in the items/thing/ folder.
"name": "Jest (this file)",
"type": "node",
"request": "launch",
"cwd": "${workspaceFolder}/items/thing",
"runtimeArgs": [
"--inspect-brk",
"${workspaceFolder}/node_modules/.bin/jest",
"${relativeFile}"
],
However, to do the same in the items/other/ folder I need to change the cwd property to that value.
Is there a way to "tie" the cwd to the closest parent that has the config/package files so I don't have to adjust the launch.json settings each time? (Or another way to solve this?)
I am a complete beginner with C and to VSCode. I am trying to configure the task and launch jsons but have no idea where to begin. I have tried googling the answers but I keep getting the same errors. I want to be able to step through the code line by line so I can see what it is doing.
I haven't changed the tasks.json from the original that VSCode sets. The launch.json I have changed by putting in the debugger path and the path of the executable. I have included the task.json, launch.json and the error that keeps popping up. Any help is appreciated.
tasks.json
"tasks": [
{
"type": "cppbuild",
"label": "C/C++: gcc build active file",
"command": "/usr/bin/gcc",
"args": [
"-fdiagnostics-color=always",
"-g",
"${file}",
"-o",
"${fileDirname}/${fileBasenameNoExtension}"
],
"options": {
"cwd": "${fileDirname}"
},
"problemMatcher": [
"$gcc"
],
"group": {
"kind": "build",
"isDefault": true
},
"detail": "Task generated by Debugger."
}
],
"version": "2.0.0"
}
launch.json
"version": "0.2.0",
"configurations": [
{
"name": "(gdb) Launch",
"type": "cppdbg",
"request": "launch",
"program": "${workspaceFolder}/scheduler.c",
"args": [],
"stopAtEntry": false,
"cwd": "${workspaceRoot}",
"environment": [],
"externalConsole": false,
"MIMode": "gdb",
"miDebuggerPath": "/usr/bin/gdb",
"setupCommands": [
{
"description": "Enable pretty-printing for gdb",
"text": "-enable-pretty-printing",
"ignoreFailures": true
},
{
"description": "Set Disassembly Flavor to Intel",
"text": "-gdb-set disassembly-flavor intel",
"ignoreFailures": true
}
]
}
]
}
I've recently had the same issues. Here is the procedure that I follow, that seem to work:
Download and install msys2 (1)
Download MSYS2 from https://www.msys2.org/
Install folder is typically C:\msys64
Go to C:\msys64 and open mingw64.ini
Change ‘#MSYS2_PATH_TYPE=inherit’ to ‘MSYS2_PATH_TYPE=inherit’ i.e. enable PATH variable.
Add PATH environment variables (2)
Type “environment” in Windows search field, and select “Edit environment variables …”
Add path to gcc.exe and g++.exe:
— Add: “C:\msys64\mingw64\bin” to PATH variable.
Add path to VS Code to PATH variable as well:
— This is usually the folder:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\
Run “msys2 mingw64” and test access to compilers and debugger (3)
In Windows Search field, type “msys2” and select “msys2 mingw64” and run the following:
To install gcc, the Gnu C compiler: pacman -S mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-gcc
To install gdb, the Gnu GDB debugger:
pacman -S --needed base-devel mingw-w64-x86_64-toolchain
To test that you can run compilers and debugger, run:
gcc --version
g++ --version
gdb --version
Start development in VSC (4)
Open “msys mingw64” terminal and run:
cd <common projects folder>
mkdir <projname>
cd <projname>
Above changes current directory to a projects folder. I use C:\Users<username>\src\projects, i.e. this is my but you may want to use something else.
In the folder you can make a subfolder per C coding project you want to run. This is what “mkdir ” does.
You will need a little Unix Bash shell command skills here, here is an ultrashort summary:
cd – change directory to
mkdir – makes a new directory called
in the current folder.
cd .. – change directory one up.
_ cd ~ – changes directory to your home folder, I have C:\Users<username> where is my … username.
pwd – shows current directory.
Now, if you did above you are currently in the specific projects folder (you can verify this with pwd), and you should start VSC from there by typing:
code .
And accept Workspace trust.
Create a C source file (5)
Open folder view, click on + icon, and select ‘new file’, type “hello.c”, go into the file and add the contents:
include
int main() {
printf("Hello World\n");
return 0;
}
Configure VSC for building – tasks.json (6)
Press “ctrl+shift+B” to build target (or menu: -> Terminal -> Run Build Task… or press green play icon)
Select “C/C++: gcc.exe build and debug active file”
Now it tries to build, using an autogenerated tasks.json file, located in project-folder, in subfolder .vscode:
.vscode/tasks.json
An example of a tasks.json file is shown below:
"tasks": [
{
"type": "cppbuild",
"label": "C/C++: gcc.exe build active file",
"command": "C:\apps\msys64\mingw64\bin\gcc.exe",
"args": [
"-fdiagnostics-color=always",
"-Wall",
"-g",
"${file}",
"-o",
"${fileDirname}\${fileBasenameNoExtension}.exe"
],
"options": {
"cwd": "${fileDirname}"
},
"problemMatcher": [
"$gcc"
],
"group": {
"kind": "build",
"isDefault": true
},
"detail": "Task generated by Debugger."
}
],
"version": "2.0.0"
}
The important section is:
"command": "C:\msys64\mingw64\bin\gcc.exe",
"args": [
"-fdiagnostics-color=always",
"-Wall",
"-g",
"${workspaceFolder}/*.c", OR TODO "${file}"
"-o",
"${fileDirname}\${fileBasenameNoExtension}.exe"
],
“command” is the Gnu C compiler, gcc.exe and the full path to it.
“args” are arguments for the compiler:
-Wall means warn about everyting.
-g means compiler must prepare for debugging.
“${file}” is current file.
-o is output file which is specified in the next line with .exe extension.
Sometimes we have to build multi-file projects and it will break the default build-functionality in tasks.json in VSC. In some cases this can be solved by changing:
${file},
to
"${workspaceFolder}/*.c",
Configure VSC for Debugging – launch.json (7)
Go to source file hello.c, and set a break point,
Click left to the line numbers to set red circle.
Select play/bug icon
Select “Debug C/C++ File”
Choose “C/C++ gcc build and debug active file” from list of automatically detected compilers.
This will autogenerate a file, launch.json in the projects folder, in subfolder .vscode:
.vscode/launch.json
An example of a launch.json file is shown below:
{
"configurations": [
{
"name": "C/C++: gcc.exe build and debug active file",
"type": "cppdbg",
"request": "launch",
"program": "${fileDirname}\${fileBasenameNoExtension}.exe",
"args": [],
"stopAtEntry": false,
"cwd": "${fileDirname}",
"environment": [],
"externalConsole": false,
"MIMode": "gdb",
"miDebuggerPath": "C:\\msys64\\mingw64\\bin\\gdb.exe",
"setupCommands": [
{
"description": "Enable pretty-printing for gdb",
"text": "-enable-pretty-printing",
"ignoreFailures": true
},
]
}
],
"preLaunchTask": "C/C++: gcc.exe build active file"
}
The most important parts are:
"program": "${fileDirname}\${fileBasenameNoExtension}.exe",
and
"miDebuggerPath": "C:\\msys64\\mingw64\\bin\\gdb.exe",
The “program” is the program generated when building the project. I.e. the output from running the task as specified in Tasks.json.
The miDebuggerPath is the path to gdb, the GNU gdb debugger.
If these does not match with your Tasks.json settings and your installation chances are slim to make it work.
Test it by pressing the Play/Bug icon button and notice if there are errors. If not you should be able to step through the code and watch variables etc.
Configure VSC for intellisense (8)
Install extension: “C/C++ extension for VS Code” by Microsoft.
Now this extension will assist when you type code. By example you can type for to get the basics of a for-loop. Similar for if, while etc. Cool!
Save work when creating new projects (9)
Instead of having to create the tasks.json and launch.json files for each project, I copy them to a templates folder, say:
C:\Users\username\src\templates\.vscode\
Copy the newly created tasks.json and launch.json files to the .vscode subfolder.
Now, say you want to create a new project, e.g. hello2, and you create a folder for it:
C:\Users\<username>\src\projects\hello2\
Go to the templates folder by
cd C:\Users<username>\src\templates
and copy the .json files to the new project by:
cp -Rp .vscode/ ../hello2/
And now the new project has the .json files.
Optional (10)
Later you may want to update msys2. To do this, open “msys2 mingw64” and type
pacman -Suy
Done (11)
Finally done … Not the easiest thing to get going, but I still think it is worth it.
Hello I'm working with pipenv which have a differetn path for every developer, but I want to have the same launch setting for all. The problem is that the program is not the python is a custom executable with is under the virtual environment bin folder.
Here is my current launch.json
{
"name": "Python: TEST",
"type": "python",
"request": "launch",
"stopOnEntry": false,
"console": "integratedTerminal",
"program": "${env:HOME}/.local/share/virtualenvs/venv-PbRe8Lzd/bin/<program>",
"args": [
...
],
"cwd": "${workspaceRoot}",
}
And for me works OK becaouse my is under "venv-PbRe8Lzd/bin/" but for the other developers that have different venv folder no. Any Idea on how to do this generic for all?
I think better not to sync .vscode folder at all. But anyway it's possible to put interpreter path into another file ".vscode/settings.json".
Delete "program" from launch.json.
Install the Python extension for Visual Studio Code https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode-python (probably it's already installed)
Press Ctrl+Shift+P
Search "Python: Select Interpreter"
Select pipenv interpreter path
or
Create/modify file ".vscode/settings.json"
{
"python.pythonPath": "${env:HOME}/.local/share/virtualenvs/venv-PbRe8Lzd/bin/python"
}