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Setup VS Code Arduino extension

How to setup VS Code Arduino extension for Windows OS

Install Chocolatey

  • Open a new PowerShell session with with administration permission.
  • Install Chocolatey with the following command:
Terminal window
Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process -Force; [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol -bor 3072; iex ((New-Object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadString('https://chocolatey.org/install.ps1'))
  • Wait for a while for the command to complete and check if you are ready to use Chocolatey with the following command:
Terminal window
choco -v
  • If you see a version number, it means you have installed Chocolatey successfully.

Install Arduino IDE

  • Continue the current PowerShell session or open a new session with administration permission if you have closed it.
  • Execute the following command to install Arduino IDE:
Terminal window
choco install arduino -y

Install VS Code Arduino extension

  1. Open VS Code, click Extensions icon
  2. Search “arduino”
  3. Select Arduino extension from Microsolf and click install.

Create a new Arduino project

  • Press ctrl+shift+p, type arduino: examples. Then press enter to select.
  • Expand Built-in Examples > 01.Basics.
  • Click Blink.
  • VS will open a new window with LED blink project.
  • An auto generated source code is saved at ~/Documents/Arduino/generated_examples/Blink.

Connect Arduino board

  • Connect your Arduino board to a computer.

  • Wait until driver installation complete.

  • In this example, I use Arduino Uno and is connected via COM5 port.

  • In VS Code, change a serial port by pressing ctrl + shift p. Then type Arduino: Select Serial Port and press enter to select.

  • Select a serial port that connects to Arduino.

  • In VS Code, change Arduino board by pressing ctrl + shift + p. Then type Arduino: Change Board Type and press enter to select.

  • Select your connected Arduino board.

Fix IntelliSense

  • Normally, after you have set a serial port and a board type correctly, VS Code automatically analyzes source code and creates c_cpp_properties.json with a configuration named Arduino and IntelliSense should work.
  • Optionally, if IntelliSense does not work, we need to run code analysis manually by pressing alt + ctrl + i. Alternatively, type Arduino: Rebuild IntelliSense Configuration. Then press enter to select.
  • At status bar (bottom right conner), you should find a configuration named Arduino and other connection values. These values, you can click to change.

Example code of Blink project

  • Open Blink.ino, you should find source code as following:
// the setup function runs once when you press reset or power the board
void setup() {
  // initialize digital pin LED_BUILTIN as an output.
  pinMode(LED_BUILTIN, OUTPUT);
}


// the loop function runs over and over again forever
void loop() {
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH);   // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level)
  delay(1000);                       // wait for a second
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW);    // turn the LED off by making the voltage LOW
  delay(1000);                       // wait for a second
}

Upload source code to Arduino board

  • Press ctrl + shift + p. Then type Arduino: Upload and press enter to select.
  • You will see logging messages in OUTPUT window. Wait for a while until you see [Done] Uploading sketch 'Blink.ino'.

A few seconds later, you should see LED on a board starts to blink.