How to setup NCS v2.0.0 for VS Code on Ubuntu 20.04?

Hello Árpád, sorry about the delay

Have you tried the automatic installation using the toolchain manager? It should be available for NCS 2.0 on Ubuntu 20.04.

That would definitely be the easiest way.

Regards,

Elfving

I am not the original poster, but am very interested in this thread. While I appreciate that Nordic provides the automatic, all-in-one toolchain manger solution, this is not practical for many of us. At a minimum it does not easily enable automated builds, and it hides what is being done "under the covers" making it difficult to figure what needs to be done when using a manual installation.

In this case, toolchain manager is obviously manipulating some environment variables and/or VS Code settings before launching VS Code. Can you, or someone at Nordic, describe what exactly is being done and/or what needs to be done to configure VS Code (and the nRF Connect extension)? Additionally, please be aware of and/or consider the possibility that a developer may be using Python virtual environments to contain/control the large amount of python modules that need to be installed.

Hi Keith,

KRich said:

At a minimum it does not easily enable automated builds, and it hides what is being done "under the covers" making it difficult to figure what needs to be done when using a manual installation.

When it comes to the installation I believe the Toolchain Manager essentially does the same as what is the described in the manual installation documentation. It is just easier to do it automatically, to be sure nothing is being missed in the process. 

KRich said:

In this case, toolchain manager is obviously manipulating some environment variables and/or VS Code settings before launching VS Code.

There isn't much of a difference between between launching Visual Studio Code directly and starting it from the Toolchain Manager. It does inherit preset environment like PATH and such, but it doesn't need it, since it has a better control of the toolchains and the SDKs anyway. This was not the case with SES, that's why it's still there.

KRich said:

Can you, or someone at Nordic, describe what exactly is being done and/or what needs to be done to configure VS Code (and the nRF Connect extension)?

I am not sure if I understand your question here. You can simply install the nRF Connect Extensions from VSC; you don't need to do it from the Toolchain Manager. TM does allow you to install all of the required extensions automatically though.

KRich said:

Additionally, please be aware of and/or consider the possibility that a developer may be using Python virtual environments to contain/control the large amount of python modules that need to be installed.

That is an interesting point. Could you expand a bit on a use-case you have where this is an issue?

Regards,

Elfving

Hi Keith,

KRich said:

At a minimum it does not easily enable automated builds, and it hides what is being done "under the covers" making it difficult to figure what needs to be done when using a manual installation.

When it comes to the installation I believe the Toolchain Manager essentially does the same as what is the described in the manual installation documentation. It is just easier to do it automatically, to be sure nothing is being missed in the process. 

KRich said:

In this case, toolchain manager is obviously manipulating some environment variables and/or VS Code settings before launching VS Code.

There isn't much of a difference between between launching Visual Studio Code directly and starting it from the Toolchain Manager. It does inherit preset environment like PATH and such, but it doesn't need it, since it has a better control of the toolchains and the SDKs anyway. This was not the case with SES, that's why it's still there.

KRich said:

Can you, or someone at Nordic, describe what exactly is being done and/or what needs to be done to configure VS Code (and the nRF Connect extension)?

I am not sure if I understand your question here. You can simply install the nRF Connect Extensions from VSC; you don't need to do it from the Toolchain Manager. TM does allow you to install all of the required extensions automatically though.

KRich said:

Additionally, please be aware of and/or consider the possibility that a developer may be using Python virtual environments to contain/control the large amount of python modules that need to be installed.

That is an interesting point. Could you expand a bit on a use-case you have where this is an issue?

Regards,

Elfving