VS Code and launch.json

Solar2D General Questions/Discussion
#1

Hi,

Has anyone created a launch.json file that will run the corona simulator from VS Code? If so can you please share it or suggest how to get it working?

Thanks, Greg

#2

Hi Greg!

Here my 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": [

        {
            "type": "lua-local",
            "request": "launch",
            "name": "Debug Corona",
            "program": {
                "command": "%CORONA_PATH%\\Corona Simulator.exe"
            },
            "args": [
                "${workspaceFolder}",
                "-no-console",
                "YES",
                "-debug",
                "YES"
            ]
        }
    ]
}

You need to install Local Lua Debugger extension.
And main.lua

if system.getInfo( "environment" ) == "simulator" then
    if os.getenv("LOCAL_LUA_DEBUGGER_VSCODE") == "1" then
      local lldebugger = loadfile(os.getenv("LOCAL_LUA_DEBUGGER_FILEPATH"))()
      lldebugger.start()
    end
end

Trace function

function Trace()
    local info = debug.getinfo(3)
    local file, line = string.gsub(info.source, "=", ""), info.currentline

    print("Trace", "\n\tFile: " ..
        file .. ":" .. line)
end
2 Likes
#3

Awesome, thank you so much Kan98, I have been using zerobrane ide for a long time and am looking forward to migrating completely to VS code!

1 Like
#4

I’ve needed this for a long time, I didn’t migrate from Zerobrane to VScode precisely because of this simulator debugging problem, but how and where do I include this launch.json file in VScode? And do I have to add this verification code to all the main.lua files of projects that I create?

#5

Just open debug tab in side menu you will see a hyper link create launch.json.

#6

Hi Kan98,

I’ve been trying to get this working for a bit now. I installed lua-local debugger, added this to my main.lua
if system.getInfo( “environment” ) == “simulator” then
os.getenv(“LOCAL_LUA_DEBUGGER_VSCODE”) == “1” then
local lldebugger = loadfile(os.getenv(“LOCAL_LUA_DEBUGGER_FILEPATH”))()
lldebugger.start()
end
end

and in my launcher.json I’ve been playing around with different settings. It just doesn’t seem to return my full project path.

“version”: “0.2.0”,
“configurations”: [
{
“type”: “lua-local”,
“request”: “launch”,
“name”: “Debug Corona”,
“windows”: {
“program”: {
“command”: “C:\Program Files (x86)\Corona Labs\Corona\Corona Simulator.exe”,
},
“args”: [
“/no-console”,
“/debug”,
“${workspaceFolder}\main.lua”
]
},
}
]

When I run main.lua from code. I get a Solar2D message 'not found

its close…

#7

Are you sure that path exists?

Wait me a minute, i’ll make video tutorial.

#8

But in your case need to replace \ to \\ in command path

#9
#10

Awesome, thanks for the video, you made it so easy. Guess what my problem was? There was a space in my project folder name! I took it out and everything worked great. Totally VS Code now :slight_smile: I am so excited about real debugging!!

Thanks again, Greg

1 Like
#11
  • I changed my lua extension to lua language server like yours and the Outline works great *

Can I ask a follow up question, do you have the Outline working in the panel to the left? That’s what I am trying to get working now but it is blank.

1 Like
#12

It works fine for me.

image
image918Ă—928 68.2 KB

Here are all the extensions I use.

image
image654Ă—653 43.1 KB

And make sure you restarted vscode. Yeah i’m dumb. I didn’t pay attention to the note above :joy:

#13

@jdsmedeirosbr I have a video tutorial for you, you can also install extensions like me, it is very useful for supporting Solar2D code.

Also you should remove all spaces in the project path.

2 Likes
#14

Is anyone using VS Code on Mac OS? I need to try to configure the path to launch solar2d from VS debug console. I’m not sure how to reference the simulator using its path?

on a Mac default install of solar2s puts is under Applications / Corona-3722 /Corona Simulator

so the windows setting isn’t going to work, I’m not familiar enough with Apple yet to get the path right:
“command”: “%CORONA_PATH%\Corona Simulator.exe”,

Any thoughts? Thanks, Greg

#15

“command”: “/Applications/CoronaSDK/Corona Simulator.app/Contents/MacOS/Corona Simulator”

1 Like
#16

Thank you jdsmedeirosbr, that worked! Mac OS and VS Code are working! :slight_smile:

A quick follow up question, is it possible to have project folder names with spaces in them? The simulator won’t open with spaces in the folder name, when I rename to single word folder names it works.

Thanks again, Greg

1 Like
#17

It doesn’t work! It is not recommended to use names with spaces, if you want to separate one word from another, use underscore _

1 Like
#18

If I had £1 for every time I’ve told someone not to put spaces in filenames…

I mean, I’d probably have less than £100 but more than £10.

1 Like