The Extension should automagically fill the c_cpp_properties.json, so intellisense works out of the box

[mundodisco8]

EDIT: 07/03/2018: My understanding of the issue has improved since I opened it. I think that the extension should fill the intellisense config file on the fly based on the board being selected by the user.

To my knowledge, the Arduino IDE checks for libraries in 4 places: the main Arduino installation path (in windows c:\program files....), any board-specific version of the libraries for this board ("...\appdata\local..."), your sketchbook location and a "libraries" folder for that particular sketch. Ideally, you would install your libraries in your sketchbook location, so they are available for all your projects.

I've just installed VS Code and the Arduino plugin, and it seems to be able to know that my sketchbook location is not the default, as I can see the examples of the libraries that I've installed there, and I can compile my sketch. In any case, I get tens of intellisense errors, as intellisense seems incapable to follow the paths for the includes. I can add the sketchbook location libraries to the c_cpp_properties.json, and either add all the libraries used there (painfull) or add the base "libraries" folder and then tweak the includes to have partial paths (less painfull), but even in these cases, intellisense will complain that it can't find any of the libraries this files might use. And I would have to do it for all my projects, one by one.

What am I doing wrong? why doesn't this plugin pick the usual library locations? Is it normal to have 100s of intellisense errors? is that really the way it's meant to be?

Sorry, I'm new to Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code, and I'm quite sure that the problem it's me not being able to find out the logic behind them, but I can't find any info on the internet either.

I'm using windows 10 64 bits, and my arduino Ide is at the latest version. The relevant part of my c_cpp_settings.json of this project is:

            "name": "Win32",
            "includePath": [
                "C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio/2017/Community/VC/Tools/MSVC/14.11.25503/include/*",
                "C:/Program Files (x86)/Windows Kits/10/Include/10.0.16299.0/um",
                "C:/Program Files (x86)/Windows Kits/10/Include/10.0.16299.0/ucrt",
                "C:/Program Files (x86)/Windows Kits/10/Include/10.0.16299.0/shared",
                "C:/Program Files (x86)/Windows Kits/10/Include/10.0.16299.0/winrt",
                "${workspaceRoot}",
                "C:\\Users\\Joel\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\SODAQ\\hardware\\samd\\1.6.14\\cores\\arduino"
            ],
            "defines": [
                "_DEBUG",
                "UNICODE"
            ],
            "intelliSenseMode": "msvc-x64",
            "browse": {
                "path": [
                    "C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio/2017/Community/VC/Tools/MSVC/14.11.25503/include/*",
                    "C:/Program Files (x86)/Windows Kits/10/Include/10.0.16299.0/um",
                    "C:/Program Files (x86)/Windows Kits/10/Include/10.0.16299.0/ucrt",
                    "C:/Program Files (x86)/Windows Kits/10/Include/10.0.16299.0/shared",
                    "C:/Program Files (x86)/Windows Kits/10/Include/10.0.16299.0/winrt",
                    "${workspaceRoot}",
                    "C:\\Users\\Joel\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\SODAQ\\hardware\\samd\\1.6.14\\cores\\arduino"
                ],
                "limitSymbolsToIncludedHeaders": false,
                "databaseFilename": ""
            }
        }

This is a screenshot of my project

[yaohaizh]

Please see here to see whether help resolve this issue?
https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode-arduino/wiki/FAQ

By default, the Arduino extension doesn't pick up all the head files. You can either pop up the command "Arduino: Library Manager" to include the header file to your paths.

[mundodisco8]

Hi,

I just open an example, the blink example, and used the arduino Uno as board. That way, my c_cpp_properties.json has just these two folders:

"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\arduino\\avr\\cores\\arduino",
"${workspaceRoot}"

With that, all the Arduino-defined functions and variables are highlighted as undefined (pinMode, digitalWrite, HIGH,...).

It may be that I don't get how this thing is supposed to work, but I expect from the Arduino plugin to get all these methods by default. I also don't understand why doesn't it search for libraries where the Arduino IDE is expecting to find libraries (that is, the installation folder, the roaming/local/... folder where your boards are installed and the sketchbook location). These folders should be added by default. In any case, even if I add them, I can't get it to work. Yes, it compiles, but it's impossible to use this in a medium sized sketch without getting dozens of errors that make debugging a nightmare.

If my understanding is correct, only the folders in the includePath parameter are used for intellisense, but the search in them is not recursive. I don't know what folders do I have to add to get all the different definitions and methods and whatnot from Arduino working, but I suspect that it could be again dozens of them, not including all the folders I have to include to make a library work if it has dependencies... Is there a way to get Intellisense working on the Arduino plugin or am I doing something that is simply not achievable?

[bandrews]

I've been fighting the same thing; since the intellisense parser changed to requiring exact paths from being willing to follow recursive directories, it's basically impossible to set up all the include paths necessary for Arduino usage.

I've been able to add all the libraries to the browse path, which inexplicably does work with recursion. Then, VS Code will suggest folders that are missing from the include path in the light bulb bubble. But I have to play whack-a-mole going deep into the bowels of included microcontroller library structures to get everything added. And the suggestions stop working after you pick only one, so you end up with lots of missing libraries and no way to discover the necessary paths for them...

This really needs to be fixed by the C/C++ extension authors, but judging from their issues database they've seemed stubbornly resistant to feedback requesting the return of recursive search paths. :(

[mundodisco8]

That's a shame, let's see how things develop, but it looks like a dealbreaker, at least for me at the moment. :(

[Hej-Christian]

Also been fighting this issue. I have been trying to use the LiquidCrystal library for a project of mine, First it's annoying and unwieldy trying to point to that file - let alone dig around to then find (and point to) the dependencies within that. The c_cpp_properties.json file is becoming a mess trying to keep - I'm rather discouraged to work on a bigger project which might need more libraries.

Any other solutions or alternatives for now? It's a shame because I love Visual Studio Code and it would be perfect to add another type of project to it (I use it for Unity (C#), Java, and Web Development with zero issues)

[yaohaizh]

For please this value to your vscode setting file to see whether fix the intellisense issue:

"C_Cpp.intelliSenseEngine": "Tag Parser",

[Hej-Christian]

This partially works (In that it stops the problems showing up in my test.ino file; and it seems I can show IntelliSense for methods not affected by problematic includes deeper down the rabbit hole)

As you can see

It will suffice for now - At least I can program for (and build) to my Arduino from the comfort of VS Code :) Looking forward to see even tighter / full integration soon.

Thanks @yaohaizh

[JulianGmp]

I was in a similar situation trying to set up vscode for programming ESP chips (using Arduino).
I got intellisense to work, but I haven't done too much testing so this solution might not be final one.

But it does give me preview for parameters in the FastLED Library, which is installed under D:\Users\Julian\Documents\Arduino\libraries\FastLED.

Stuff I did:

• Force Intellisense to use the "Tag Parser" in the User Settings:

"C_Cpp.intelliSenseEngineFallback": "Disabled",
"C_Cpp.intelliSenseEngine": "Tag Parser",

• Set up the c_cpp_properties.json

{
    "name": "Arduino",
    "includePath": [
        "${workspaceRoot}"
    ],
    "browse": {
        "path": [
            "D:/Program Files (x86)/Arduino/hardware",
            "D:/Program Files (x86)/Arduino/libraries",
            "D:/Users/Julian/Documents/Arduino/libraries/",
            "D:/Users/Julian/Documents/Arduino/hardware/",
            "${workspaceRoot}"
        ],
        "limitSymbolsToIncludedHeaders": true,
        "databaseFilename": ""
    },
    "intelliSenseMode": "msvc-x64"
}

that way, only the Tag Parses will be used as the engine and the config in the c_cpp_properties.json becomes a lot simples, since intellisense reads directories recursively now. That way I also got the engine to read libraries I installed manually, since they are placed in my homedirectory (D:/Users/Julian/Documents/Arduino/libraries/). Same goes for boards I installed, like the ESP8266, which has its package sit in "D:/Users/Julian/Documents/Arduino/hardware/".
Also, I used this as a source.

I'm gonna try to config the Arduino extension from Microsoft as well now, if I run into some issues I can fix I will comment them here.

[dafzor]

I have not tried the tag parser setting suggested here, but had come up with a solution which was to simply add all the include paths by hand.

For a basic hello world program on a UNO like this:

#include <Arduino.h>
#define LED_PIN 10

void setup() {
    pinMode(LED_PIN, OUTPUT);
}

void loop() {
    digitalWrite(LED_PIN, HIGH);
    delay(1000);
    digitalWrite(LED_PIN, LOW);
    delay(1000);
}

I need a C_Cpp_properties.json like this:

{
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Win32",
            "includePath": [
                "${workspaceRoot}",
                "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\arduino\\avr\\cores\\arduino",
                "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\tools\\avr\\avr\\include",
                "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\tools\\avr\\lib\\gcc\\avr\\4.9.2\\include",
                "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\arduino\\avr\\variants\\mega"
            ],
            "browse": {
                "limitSymbolsToIncludedHeaders": false,
                "path": [
                    "${workspaceRoot}",
                    "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\arduino\\avr\\cores\\arduino",
                    "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\tools\\avr\\avr\\include",
                    "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\tools\\avr\\lib\\gcc\\avr\\4.9.2\\include",
                    "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\arduino\\avr\\variants\\mega"
                ]
            },
            "intelliSenseMode": "msvc-x64"
        }
    ],
    "version": 3
}

Maybe changing it so that Arduino: Board Config actually includes all the needed paths could be a start for trying to fix the issue.

[InRiPa]

@dafzor Thanks. I adjusted it for linux and it works. At least I got autocompletion and intellisense working. In case someone else needs it, here is my config:

{
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Linux",
            "includePath": [
                "/usr/lib/gcc/avr/7.2.0/include",
                "/home/<user>/.arduino15/packages/arduino/hardware/avr/1.6.20/cores/arduino",
                "/usr/avr/include/",
                "/home/<user>/.arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avr-gcc/4.9.2-atmel3.5.4-arduino2/avr/include",
                "/usr/share/arduino/hardware/archlinux-arduino/avr/variants/mega"
            ],
            "browse": {
                "limitSymbolsToIncludedHeaders": false,
                "path": [
                    "/usr/lib/gcc/avr/7.2.0/include",
                    "/home/<user>/.arduino15/packages/arduino/hardware/avr/1.6.20/cores/arduino",
                    "/usr/avr/include/",
                    "/home/<user>/.arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/avr-gcc/4.9.2-atmel3.5.4-arduino2/avr/include",
                    "/usr/share/arduino/hardware/archlinux-arduino/avr/variants/mega"
                ]
            },
            "intelliSenseMode": "clang-x64"
        }
    ],
    "version": 3
}

[heyAyushh]

Somebody Please tell this for mac too

[carlhung]

I can't find the path for Mac

[JulianGmp]

@stormbytes I think that is caused because the Arduino.h file isn't included by default in Visual Studio's mind. The Arduino Software obviously includes their core when compiling.
Adding the #include <Arduino.h> or the #include <Esp.h> when using ESP Controllers won't cause issues though. It's a bit annoying but oh well, better than having to use the Arduino "IDE"

[JulianGmp]

@stormbytes I'm not using PlatformIO, I'm using the Arduino Extension from Microsoft

But I guess both extensions didn't prevent this from happening, oh well not the End of the world