Visual Studio Code Template for SystemC

Getting Started

Install prerequisites

We must install SystemC, Visual Studio Code environment and GTKWave on the computer.

• For more details for SystemC, see: https://www.accellera.org/downloads/standards/systemc

• In Visual Studio Code, check that the C/C++ extension is installed. If this is not the case, go to the "extension" menu and click on "Install".

• As of VS-code v1.56.1 integrated terminals require additional configuration to work correctly. see https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/getstarted/settings#_settings-file-locations to edit the setting.json file and add the following entry:

"terminal.integrated.allowWorkspaceConfiguration":true

1. To use project template without modification path, install SystemC in ~/systemc/systemc as below:

1. Create folder:

cd ~
mkdir systemc
cd systemc

2. Copy the systemc-2.3.3.zip or systemc-2.3.3.tar.gz file in the ~/systemc folder and unzip as below:

unzip systemc-2.3.3.zip
or
tar -zxvf systemc-2.3.3.tar.gz 

3. Rename the folder:

mv systemc-2.3.3 systemc

2. Follow the INSTALL text file to install SystemC. To better debug, use the command below with option at step 5 in INSTALL file (Configure the package for your system)

../configure --enable-debug

• https://code.visualstudio.com/

• http://gtkwave.sourceforge.net/

  Tip for Linux installation:

sudo apt install gtkwave

Using SystemC Template Project

Firstly, you have to clone the systemc-vscode-project-template project and follow the next steps.

git clone https://github.com/fmuller-pns/systemc-vscode-project-template.git

1. Rename the vscode_project_template folder

mv systemc-vscode-project-template <my_project_name>

2. Go to the project directory

cd <my_project_name>

3. Remove the GIT directory

rm -fR .git

4. Open and verify path in the systemc_env.sh file and change them if wrong.

export SYSTEMC_PATH=~/systemc/systemc

5. Add SystemC environment variables

2 solutions are proposed:

1. Copy contents to the end of the .bashrc file just once (best solution)

cat systemc_env.sh >> ~/.bashrc

2. At each time you open a Terminal, you must enter this command before launching Visual Studio Code:

source systemc_env.sh

6. Open Visual Studio Code for the new project

code .

7. Verify path in the c_cpp_properties.json file and change them if wrong.

"SYSTEMC_PATH": "~/systemc/systemc"

8. [Not required] Change the default project name called main in files.

This step renames the executable file. By default, the executable file is main.

1. Open Makefile and replace main by <my_project_name>
2. Open .vscode/launch.json and replace main by <my_project_name> (lines 13)

9. Building and running project

In the Menu, Run Start Debugging or Run Without Debbuging

To exit monitoring, typing Ctrl+AltGr+]

Useful Commands

Open external terminal from Visual Studio Code to perform commands

• using keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+C
• or pressing F1 key and typing external

Open integrated terminal from Visual Studio Code to perform commands

• using keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+²
• or pressing F1 key and typing integrated

Clean project

make clean

Build and run the project

make run

To exit monitoring, typing Ctrl+AltGr+]

For help

make help

Using Tasks for SystemC to run, debug Project and so on

1. In the menu, select Run Task...
2. Select the task you want to launch:

• SystemC - Build: build the project
• SystemC - Run: Run the project
• SystemC - Run GTKWave: Run GTKWave
• SystemC - Clean: Clean project (Full clean)
• SystemC - Doxygen - HTML doc.: Generate HTML documentation with Doxygen

Configure GIT for your new project

Go to your new project folder

cd <project_name>

Configure name and email address

git config --global user.name "your name" 
git config --global user.email "your email address"

Avoid typing your username and password in vscode each time

This is useful when connecting your GIT to GitHub.

git config credential.helper store

Using GitHub with visual studio code

We consider you have followed the sections above:

• Getting Started
• Configure GIT for your new project

Now, how to communicate with GitHub ?

1. Open visual studio code.
2. Click on the Source Control icon on your left side or use Ctrl+Shift+G shortcut.
3. For the first time, click on Initialize Repository button
4. Enter a message for your first commit (ex: first commit) and click on Commit icon
5. Press F1 and typing git add remote and entering :
   • remote name : your github repository previously created
   • remote url : https://github.com/xxx/your_project.git
   • username and password
6. Push to the GitHub server (master branch)

See https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/editor/versioncontrol for more details.

Generate Doxygen documentation

You can use Using Tasks for SystemC or follow the steps below.

1. Open external terminal from vscode, using keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+C, or pressing F1 key and typing external
2. Generate HTML documentation

• From the User interface (allow you updating the Doxyfile configuration file)

doxywizard

• Directly from Doxyfile configuration file

doxygen

3. A new html folder is created, the entry file is index.html