Installing VSCode on Mac OSX

• Navigate to Visual Studio Code
• Download latest version (I am using --Version: 1.60.1)
  • Open with Archive Utility
• Drag Visual Studio Code into Applications folder

Installing Extensions

1. C/C++ --- p.s. This link could be more useful.
   • Launch VSCode
   • Select the Extensions view icon, bottom, on the Activity bar, on the far left
   • Search for c++
   • Select the one supported by Microsoft (purple circle) and install
2. CodeLLDB
   • Search for codelldb
   • Select the only one supported by Vadim Chugunov and install

Building and Running C++ Programs with VSCode on Mac OSX

Configure json files

• Launch VSCode
• Select Open Folder
• Select the folder where you want to edit and compile your C++ codes
• Copy below codes and save file as main.cpp for example

main.cpp

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main() {
    cout << "Hello!" << endl;
    return 0;
}

• Select View at the Mac menu Bar, then Command Palatte...
• Select C/C++: Edit Configurations (UI)
• Modify Compiler path by clicking on the drop down arrow and select /usr/bin/g++
• Modify C++ standard to c++20
• Save... Notice .vscode > c_cpp_properties.json is automatically generated on the Activity bar

c_cpp_properties.json

{
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Mac",
            "includePath": [
                "${workspaceFolder}/**"
            ],
            "defines": [],
            "macFrameworkPath": [],
            "compilerPath": "/usr/bin/g++",
            "cStandard": "gnu17",
            "cppStandard": "c++20",
            "intelliSenseMode": "macos-gcc-x64"
        }
    ],
    "version": 4
}

VSCode require the .cpp file to be selected prior building it

• Select the main.cpp just created
• Select Terminal at the Mac menu Bar, then Configure Default Build Task...
• Select C/C++: g++ build active file
• A new file, tasks.json, is automatically generated, which contains information on how to build C++ projects
• Modify line 8 - 13 as below:

tasks.json

{
	"version": "2.0.0",
	"tasks": [
		{
			"type": "cppbuild",
			"label": "C/C++: g++ build active file",
			"command": "/usr/bin/g++",
			"args": [
				"-g",
				"-Wall",
				"-std=c++20",
				"${fileDirname}/*.cpp",
				"-o",
				"${fileDirname}/${fileBasenameNoExtension}"
			],
			"options": {
				"cwd": "${fileDirname}"
			},
			"problemMatcher": [
				"$gcc"
			],
			"group": "build",
			"detail": "compiler: /usr/bin/g++"
		},
		{
			"type": "cppbuild",
			"label": "C/C++: g++ build active file",
			"command": "/usr/bin/g++",
			"args": [
				"-g",
				"-Wall",										// to generate all warnings
				"-std=c++20",									// use c++20 standard
				// "${file}",
				"${fileDirname}/*.cpp",							// compile all c++ files
				"-o",
				"${fileDirname}/${fileBasenameNoExtension}"
			],
			"options": {
				"cwd": "${fileDirname}"
			},
			"problemMatcher": [
				"$gcc"
			],
			"group": {
				"kind": "build",
				"isDefault": true
			},
			"detail": "compiler: /usr/bin/g++"
		}
	]
}

Building C++ programs

• Select main.cpp and let's compile the code
• Select Terminal at the Mac menu bar, then Run Build Task...
• Terminal should automatically appear towards the bottom and expected output

> Executing task: C/C++: g++ build active file <

Starting build...
/usr/bin/g++ -g -Wall -std=c++20 /Users/.../*.cpp -o /Users/.../main
Build finished successfully.

Terminal will be reused by tasks, press any key to close it.

• Notice Build finished successfully then the main executable file is created on the Activity bar

Running C++ Programs

• Right click on the main executable file and select Open in Integrated Terminal
• The terminal will then open at the proper file path, and input command ls will list the directories under the file path. The expected output is

main      main.cpp        main.dSYM

• To run or execute the file, input command ./main

Running multiple C++ programs

According to my file structure, which I have test1 and test2 directory with respective .cpp files, this is to avoid build error

clang: error: no such file or directory: 'test2.cpp'
clang: error: no input files

Despite the .cpp file name is different, I learned that there will be buile errors if tes1.cpp and test2.cpp are in the same directory during build.

Debugging C++ Programs with VSCode on Mac OSXing

• Select main.cpp
• Select Run at the Mac menu bar, then Add Configuration...
• Select C++ (GDB/LLDB)
• Select g++ - Build and debug active file
• Exit out of debugger by selecting red sqaure box
• Notice launch.json is automatically created
• Modify launch.json as below

launch.json

{
    // Use IntelliSense to learn about possible attributes.
    // Hover to view descriptions of existing attributes.
    // For more information, visit: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=830387
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "g++ - Build and debug active file",
            // "type": "cppdbg",
            "type": "lldb",
            "request": "launch",
            "program": "${fileDirname}/${fileBasenameNoExtension}",
            "args": [],
            // "stopAtEntry": false,
            "cwd": "${fileDirname}",
            // "environment": [],
            // "externalConsole": false,
            // "MIMode": "lldb",
            "preLaunchTask": "C/C++: g++ build active file"
        }
    ]
}

• Return to main.cpp
• Begin debugging by selecting Run and Debug on the Activity bar
• Select breakpoints with red dot next to line number
• Select green triangle play button towards top left
• Step through debugger with the pop up menu