How to run a C program in Visual Studio Code

Question

I’m trying to run a code (program) in C in Visual Studio Code, but I can’t find the necessary settings.

• I installed the C/C++ extension (Microsoft)

Project structure:

.vscode

- c_cpp_properties.json

- tasks json.

main. c

My code:

- c_cpp_properties.json
{
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Mac",
            "includePath": ["/usr/include"],
            "browse" : {
                "limitSymbolsToIncludedHeaders" : true,
                "databaseFilename" : ""
            }
        },
        {
            "name": "Linux",
            "includePath": ["/usr/include"],
            "browse" : {
                "limitSymbolsToIncludedHeaders" : true,
                "databaseFilename" : ""
            }
        },
        {
            "name": "Win32",
            "includePath": ["c:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio 14.0/VC/include"],
            "browse" : {
                "limitSymbolsToIncludedHeaders" : true,
                "databaseFilename" : ""
            }
        }
    ]
}
- tasks.json
{
    "version": "0.1.0",
    "command": "g++",
    "isShellCommand": true,
    "showOutput": "always",
    "args": ["-g", "main.c"]
}
- c program
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{  
    printf("Hello World");
    return 0;
}

^{Link to the Pastebin}

Answer 1

Vscode, though both an editor and not an IDE, allows you to compile code through a few plugins. In case of compiling C/C++ codes, in Windows, I found it a little "boring". It took me a week to set up.

Even though it was the question asked over a year ago, I believe some people might find it and I might have helped in some way.

What I did to compile the C code was to install the plugin C/C++ from Microsoft

Once installed the plugin, download and install the Minggw with gcc functions for Windows.

In Vscode, create or edit the file c_cpp_properties.json, to edit just use the shortcut Ctrl+Shift+P and select "C/Cpp: Edit Configurations".

Remember that the version of the file quoted below may change.

{
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Win32",
            "intelliSenseMode": "clang-x64",
            "includePath": [
                "${workspaceRoot}",
                "C:/MinGW/lib/gcc/mingw32/6.3.0/include/c++",
                "C:/MinGW/lib/gcc/mingw32/6.3.0/include/c++/mingw32",
                "C:/MinGW/lib/gcc/mingw32/6.3.0/include/c++/backward",
                "C:/MinGW/lib/gcc/mingw32/6.3.0/include",
                "C:/MinGW/include",
                "C:/MinGW/lib/gcc/mingw32/6.3.0/include-fixed"
            ],
            "defines": [
                "_DEBUG",
                "UNICODE",
                "__GNUC__=6",
                "__cdecl=__attribute__((__cdecl__))"
            ],
            "browse": {
                "path": [
                    "C:/MinGW/lib/gcc/mingw32/6.3.0/include",
                    "C:/MinGW/lib/gcc/mingw32/6.3.0/include-fixed",
                    "C:/MinGW/include/*"
                ],
                "limitSymbolsToIncludedHeaders": true,
                "databaseFilename": ""
            }
        }
    ]
}

For the C language, not C++, just remove a few lines, as below:

{
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Win32",
            "intelliSenseMode": "clang-x64",
            "includePath": [
                "${workspaceRoot}",
                "C:/MinGW/lib/gcc/mingw32/6.3.0/include",
                "C:/MinGW/include",
                "C:/MinGW/lib/gcc/mingw32/6.3.0/include-fixed"
            ],
            "defines": [
                "_DEBUG",
                "UNICODE",
                "__GNUC__=6",
                "__cdecl=__attribute__((__cdecl__))"
            ],
            "browse": {
                "path": [
                    "C:/MinGW/lib/gcc/mingw32/6.3.0/include",
                    "C:/MinGW/lib/gcc/mingw32/6.3.0/include-fixed",
                    "C:/MinGW/include/*"
                ],
                "limitSymbolsToIncludedHeaders": true,
                "databaseFilename": ""
            }
        }
    ]
}

After performing this setting, just add "C_Cpp.intelliSenseEngine": "Default" in your user settings.

Then just write the code and run with the Code Runner plugin.

Source: Github from Microsoft

Answer 2

Boy suffered too much to run C in Visual Studio (Windows), I found out in trial and error and added a script to facilitate use. I did so:

• Tighten CTRL+SHIFT+X in Visual Studio to Open the Extensions and install the C/C++ from Microsoft (to complete the codes) and Code Runner (to Execute).
• Download the mingw compiler.
• Install the Mingw (notes the directory where installed) and open the Mingw Installer, goes on Basic Setup and marks the mingw32-base-bin, Installation -> Apply Changes.
• Go to environment variables on Windows -> System variables -> Path, and add the folder bin of the Mingw you installed.

• Back in VS Code -> Right Button in Code Runner -> Configure Extension Settings. User Tab -> Extensions. Search Code-Runner: Executor Map and goes on Edit in Settings.json (The path here is in C: Users Username Appdata Roaming Code User Settings.json) and leave it at that:

  {
  "git.ignoreMissingGitWarning": true,
  "explorer.confirmDragAndDrop": false,
  "explorer.confirmDelete": false,
  "editor.fontSize": 16,
  "editor.accessibilitySupport": "on",
  "editor.autoClosingBrackets": "always",
  "editor.autoClosingQuotes": "always",
  "terminal.integrated.rendererType": "dom",
  "terminal.integrated.shell.windows": "C:\\WINDOWS\\System32\\cmd.exe",
  "C_Cpp.updateChannel": "Insiders",
  "extensions.ignoreRecommendations": false,
  "code-runner.executorMap": {
  "javascript": "node",
  "php": "C:\\php\\php.exe",
  "python": "python",
  "perl": "perl",
  "ruby": "C:\\Ruby23-x64\\bin\\ruby.exe",
  "go": "go run",
  "html": "\"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Google\\Chrome\\Application\\chrome.exe\"",
  "java": "cd $dir && javac $fileName && java $fileNameWithoutExt",
  "c": "cd $dir && gcc $fileName -o $fileNameWithoutExt && start $fileNameWithoutExt.exe"
  },
  "code-runner.clearPreviousOutput": true,
  "code-runner.runInTerminal": true,
  "code-runner.saveFileBeforeRun": true
  }
  

Just edit or add the "c" line and the last 3 lines, the rest is default.

• Just write your code, save to extension . c and run it with CTRL+ALT+N that everything will be done on Windows CMD ;-].

PS1: If it doesn’t work, press CTRL+ALT+J in your code and select C.

PS: The anti-virus here (KIS) is blocking the execution all the time but just allow it to open normal.

Answer 3

Visual Studio Code is a text editor, not an IDE, without a compiler. You can compile from the terminal (whether you use Linux or Mac):

gcc -o executavel main.c

Answer 4

You don’t need all these settings. Just install Microsoft C module. CTRL+SHIFT+´ to open the terminal. It already opens in the file folder.

The commands to execute are:

$ g++ testeC.cpp -o testeC
$ ./testeC

^{Where testeC.cpp is the name of your file with extension (in C would: testeC. c)}

PS.:

My personal opinion about programming in C,C++ the best thing to do is to install the code:Blocks (Windows, Linux or Mac).

Answer 5

Complementing the friend answer above, you can use this code to run multiple files, just paste it into the C file: Users %username% Appdata Roaming Code User Settings.json, but first you need to install the Code Runner extension:

{ 
"terminal.integrated.shell.windows": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe",
"code-runner.executorMap": {
    "c": "cls && gcc -g -o $fileNameWithoutExt *.c && $fileNameWithoutExt"
},
"code-runner.clearPreviousOutput": true,
"code-runner.runInTerminal": true,
}

Answer 6

after installing the microsoft c/c++ Intellisense plugin after installing the Runner plugin from jun han

have to put . exe after these words in the file Settings.json both in "c": and "cpp": the file location is the following address:

C:\Users\seu_nome_de_usuario\AppData\Roaming\Code\User\settings.json

$fileNameWithoutExt
$dir$fileNameWithoutExt

changing to

$fileNameWithoutExt.exe
$dir$fileNameWithoutExt.exe

this is a solution for windows because executables compiled for linux have no extension

Answer 7

Hi, this is a problem I faced when I first started using VS. If you like me, I would just like to see the output in the terminal, and not waste a lot of time configuring, and do only once quickly and simply. I used the Mingw with the extension of VS, C/C++ Configurations.

First place the Mingw bin directory as the Windows environment variable next to the PATH

Then in VS, open C/C++ Configurations, (Ctrl+Shift+P ">C/C++:Edit Configurations (UI)") put the following settings:

Compiler path:

C:\MinGW\bin\g++.exe
                    Caso não seja este o local onde está o MinGw

Compiler Arguments:

-g
-Wall
-o
${fileBasenameNoExtension}.exe
${filename}

Modo do Intellisense

gcc-x64

The rest keep, as is or upgrade to the latest, for C or C compiler++

And then it will start generating the following file c_cpp_properties.json

{
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Win32",
            "includePath": [
                "${workspaceFolder}/**"
            ],
            "defines": [
                "_DEBUG",
                "UNICODE",
                "_UNICODE"
            ],
            "compilerPath": "C:\\MinGW\\bin\\g++.exe",
            "cStandard": "c11",
            "cppStandard": "c++20",
            "intelliSenseMode": "gcc-x64",
            "compilerArgs": [
                "-g",
                "-Wall",
                "-o",
                "${fileBasenameNoExtension}.exe",
                "${filename}"
            ]
        }
    ],
    "version": 4
}

Ctrl+Alt+N that will start compiling and appear in the terminal. Otherwise...