This article is an overview for installing Visual Studio Code and the VEX Visual Studio Code Extension. The extension officially supports Windows and macOS.
Installing Visual Studio Code
Open a internet browser and navigate to: https://code.visualstudio.com/
Here are the guides provided by the VS Code website. These can be helpful or you can follow along with this article.
Installing for Windows
Click the download for Windows button.
Then the download will begin in the browser.
Next open the File Explorer by clicking on the “File Explorer” icon located on the windows toolbar
Or by typing in FIle Explorer in the Windows Search bar and clicking on File Explorer App
Next navigate to the download folder by clicking on Downloads shortcut in the sidebar.
Click on the VS Code installer.
Accept the agreement and click next.
Configure installation and click next.
Click install to begin installation.
Install process will begin.
Once installation is complete, click finish and VS Code will launch.
Visual Studio Code will Open.
Installing for macOS
Click “Download Mac Universal” button.
Then the download will begin.
Next open Finder by clicking on the “Finder” icon on the macOS toolbar
Next navigate to the “Downloads” folder by clicking on “Downloads” in the Favorites sidebar.
Double click on the VS Code zip file to unzip.
Click and Drag the Visual Studio Code Application to the Applications folder.
Click on the Launch Pad icon in the macOS toolbar.
Click on the Visual Studio Code icon to launch Visual Studio Code.
Visual Studio Code will Open.
Installing the VEX Extension
Click on the Extension icon in the VS Code activity bar
In the search bar type VEX
The VEX Extension will appear in the window below.
Click the install button next to the extension from VEX Robotics.
Once installation begins, the text will change to installing. Wait for installation to complete before proceeding.
Installing the Supporting Extensions
In order to use Intellisense/Linting for both C++ and Python additional extensions will need to be installed. The VEX VS Code Extension will automatically configure VEX projects to work with these extensions. Other Intellisense/Linting extensions can be used but users will have to manually configure the projects as needed.
Click on the Extension icon in the VS Code activity bar
In the search bar type “C++”
The Microsoft C++ Extension will appear in the window below.
Click the install button next to the C/C++ extension from Microsoft.
Once installation begins, the text will change to installing. Wait for the installation to complete before proceeding.
In the search bar type “Python”
The Microsoft Python Extension will appear in the window below.
Click the install button next to the Python extension from Microsoft.
Once installation begins, the text will change to installing. Wait for the installation to complete before proceeding.