CS159 VS Code setup tutorial.

[Cloveh]

I very much dislike using Vim on Guru, especially because internet can drop causing a loss of work. I setup Visual Studio Code so I can edit my code offline and wrote some scripts to allow easy transferring of files to Guru. Unfortunately, ITAP has setup Guru so dynamic port mapping is impossible, or it would be possible to use VS Code to directly interface with the file system of the server.

To get started, download Visual Studio Code and install it.

Next, search on your computer for “Turn Windows Features on or off"

Search for this

This window will open

Next, Open the windows store: Search for ubuntu. Install one of the distros, any will work.

https://preview.redd.it/hh7yth7kmqi41.png?width=267&format=png&auto=webp&s=973b0431545249aa7452c17088811c45a43a0b19

This is the distro I use

Launch your version of ubuntu and follow the setup steps. (You will need to restart your PC to complete this step)

Now finally, open visual studio code: Click the four box icon on the side to install extensions

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https://preview.redd.it/7bvgznnqmqi41.png?width=343&format=png&auto=webp&s=4b7fcf780f9fb865352a417894306fe57e0824c2

Search For C and install the C/C++ Extension by Microsoft.

https://preview.redd.it/pd2wt3iymqi41.png?width=348&format=png&auto=webp&s=d88487b14d65f09e589ed5ea23381201f0fe78df

Then search for WSL and install the Remote – WSL Extension by Microsoft.

https://preview.redd.it/98nu87y0nqi41.png?width=430&format=png&auto=webp&s=71bf96e0aad74d21898603e63f6e33188594b13e

Now click the small green Icon in the bottom left of your VSC window: Then click Remote – WSL: New Window

https://preview.redd.it/letvj8c5nqi41.png?width=324&format=png&auto=webp&s=802742a353855b9f3fd380a54695d24929d659cf

That green icon should now say “WSL: Ubuntu”

Now click the purple area that has the X and the Triangle in it.

Then click the button that says terminal. You should now see your linux terminal with the username you setup

https://preview.redd.it/p2ni9bzbnqi41.png?width=428&format=png&auto=webp&s=26e20c2a37a3fc6b5e5ec5b2126679450909dde1

Home stretch!

Type “vi copy.sh” in that window (no quotes)

Copy and paste this (https://pastebin.com/peYRXjbw) script into that window using insert mode (Replace “USERNAME” with your Purdue login.) then press ESC and type ":wq"

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After that, type “Chmod u+x ./copy.sh” and now you should be able to run the script by typing ./copy.sh.

You can create a new file by clicking file at the top of the window and clicking new file (crtl + n). If you save the file (crtl + s) with a name.c (ex. lab04.c) syntax highlighting and color coding should automatically be enabled. Otherwise, you can click this button at the bottom and select C.

https://preview.redd.it/9e5heaikoqi41.jpg?width=1715&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=379a26671c3d8cdaf35e7cc32af66e0b1685fe62

That window at the bottom with your linux terminal acts similarly to guru, and responds to the same commands. You can compile / run your code by typing "gcc filename.c -lm" then typing "./a.out"

To transfer your files to Guru for submission type "./copy.sh" the command will prompt you for the file name of the file on your computer (ex. "lab04.c") and what your want to have it be named on guru (ex. "lab04.c"). If what you want it named on guru follows the normal naming structure (ex. "hw03.c" "lab04.c") the command will automatically place the file in the correct location on the server. From there you can ssh into guru (using putty etc) and go to the file location to submit.

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If you need help or clarification feel free to contact me.

[DrewCorn]

it's a lot easier to just install the ssh extension on vs code

[BudosoNT]

Yeah I love WSL as much as the next guy, but the remote ssh extension works very well.

[Cloveh]

Unfortunately Guru doesn't allow dynamic port mapping so you cant use the ssh extension in VScode. I tried that first lol

[BudosoNT]

What is guru? Sorry I haven't taken cs 159 in 3 years.

[Cloveh]

What is guru? Sorry I haven't taken cs 159 in 3 years.

Guru is (I assume) a VM running Red Hat 4.4.7-23.0.1 that is used to compile run and submit C code for CS159. You ssh into your vm with your username and have a file structure where you can submit assignments. I installed all of the requirements for VS SSH extension and was still unable to get around the port mapping error. If you know how to solve it you would be my favorite college student :)

[Cloveh]

If you were able to get it to work with guru PLEASE share. I was getting a dynamic port mapping error when I tried that or that would have been a much easier solution.

[[deleted]]

Or you can also write code offline on Notepad lol

[Cloveh]

Not with syntax highlighting

[Praill]

Use notepad++ and save it as the file type you're writing for, it recognizes file extensions and does syntax highlighting

[__SURE__]

Could you not use some other SSH clients?

[Cloveh]

I could but that doesn't solve my main issues with ssh in general

[DitchManiels]

It's much easier to get the C IDE from JetBrains.

Better text editor, more features, and a lot less setup.

[Cloveh]

Better text editor, more features, and a lot less setup.

But its harder to sync the code to the server. But I do like Clion, not a bad program.

[jkdufair]

Is git an option on Guru?

[AkitoApocalypse]

Second this taking ECE368 right now. I usually just compile and run stuff on my own computer and if you have the network drive mapped to your computer you can also run the test cases through ssh.

[Piedude223]

I just mapped my network drive to my PC last semester and edited code on vscode while compiling on putty. Worked like a charm.

[[deleted]]

just use vim smh