How do I create a .JSON task for C++ compiling and running? (VScode)

Question

I'm setting up a portable enviroment based in VSCode that can run from a USBdrive. I've installed MinGW and VScode, at the root directory (D:) and created a folder that will contain the C++ env. configuration. Edit: This is intended to work on Windows.

So, I know that in order to compile and run a .cc file I have to run a Build Task or Task (I just understand the basic concept). I've tried to build the .json task that should do that but I'm not gettig any result.

I would like to understand the basics so I can create my own (and simple) .json tasks for other enviroments.

This is what I tried so far:

{
"version": "2.0.0",
"tasks": [
    {
        "type": "shell",
        "label": "Compile&Run",
        "command":["D:\\mingw-w64\\x86_64-8.1.0-win32-seh-rt_v6-rev0\\mingw64\\bin\\g++.exe"],
        "args": [
            "-g",
            "${file}",
            "-o",                                    // I think that this is the problem
            "${fileBasenameNoExtension}.out", ",", "./${fileBasenameNoExtension}.out"
        ],

        //I do not fully understand what this next lines mean or do, they came by defaul.
        "options": {
            "cwd": "D:\\mingw-w64\\x86_64-8.1.0-win32-seh-rt_v6-rev0\\mingw64\\bin"
        },
        "problemMatcher": [
            "$gcc"
        ],
        "group": {
            "kind": "build",
            "isDefault": true
        }
    }
]

}

This is the task.json I have in my linux system, I got it by searching templatesand managed to make it work. It does just what I need. Creates and run a .out file.

{
    "version": "2.0.0",
    "tasks": [
        {
            "label": "debug",
            "type": "shell",
            "command": "",
            "args": ["g++","-g", "${relativeFile}", "-o","a.exe"]
        },
        {
            "label": "Compile and run",
            "type": "shell",
            "command": "",
            "args": [
                "g++","-g", "${relativeFile}", "-o","${fileBasenameNoExtension}.out", "&&", "clear" , "&&" , "./${fileBasenameNoExtension}.out"
            ],
            "group": {
                "kind": "build",
                "isDefault": true  
            },
            "problemMatcher": {
                "owner": "cpp",
                "fileLocation": ["relative", "${workspaceRoot}"],
                "pattern": {
                    "regexp": "^(.*):(\\d+):(\\d+):\\s+(warning|error):\\s+(.*)$",
                    "file": 1,
                    "line": 2,
                    "column": 3,
                    "severity": 4,
                    "message": 5
                }
            }
        },

    ]
}

change .out to .exe, windows won't automatically execute a .out file. You also don't need the ./, thats for Unix based systems. cwd is the current working directory, should probably be set to your workspace directory rather than the compiler location. — Alan Birtles
– Alan Birtles, Commented Sep 18, 2019 at 14:47

Aniket · Accepted Answer · 2021-04-05 19:06:50Z

If someone is looking for a way to auto build the cpp files in VSCode before debug (on pressing F5), a simple solution is to add "preLaunchTask": "${defaultBuildTask}", in the launch.json file.

Here are my files in linux with g++ for example (you can remove the smfl libs)

tasks.json

{
    "version": "2.0.0",
    "tasks": [
        {
            "type": "cppbuild",
            "label": "C/C++: g++ build active file",
            "command": "/usr/bin/g++",
            "args": [
                "-g",
                "${workspaceFolder}/src/*.cpp",
                "-o",
                "${workspaceFolder}/bin/outputfile",
                "-lsfml-audio",
                "-lsfml-graphics",
                "-lsfml-network",
                "-lsfml-system",
                "-lsfml-window"
            ],
            "options": {
                "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}"
            },
            "problemMatcher": [
                "$gcc"
            ],
            "group": {
                "kind": "build",
                "isDefault": true
            },
            "detail": "compiler: /usr/bin/g++"
        }
    ]
}

launch.json

{
    // Use IntelliSense to learn about possible attributes.
    // Hover to view descriptions of existing attributes.
    // For more information, visit: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=830387
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        
        {
            "name": "(gdb) Launch",
            "type": "cppdbg",
            "request": "launch",
            "program": "${workspaceFolder}/bin/outputfile",
            "args": [],
            "stopAtEntry": false,
            "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
            "environment": [],
            "externalConsole": false,
            "MIMode": "gdb",
            "preLaunchTask": "${defaultBuildTask}",
            "setupCommands": [
                {
                    "description": "Enable pretty-printing for gdb",
                    "text": "-enable-pretty-printing",
                    "ignoreFailures": true
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

Rokas Višinskas · Accepted Answer · 2019-09-18 14:25:21Z

2

Since you pretty much want a template, I will post mine for you to reverse engineer. This will probably get down voted since it's not a complete answer, but it's the only way I can help you.

{
    {
    "version": "2.0.0",
    "tasks": [
        {
            "label": "Build & run",
            "type": "shell",
            "command": "path/to/bin/g++ main.cpp -o main.exe && main",
            "problemMatcher":"$gcc",
            "presentation": {
                "echo": false,
                "reveal": "always",
                "focus": false,
                "panel": "shared",
                "showReuseMessage": false,
                "clear": true
            },
            "group": {
                "kind": "build",
                "isDefault": true
            }
        }
    ]
}

answered Sep 18, 2019 at 14:25

Rokas Višinskas

5434 silver badges12 bronze badges

2 Comments

Pauete Galopa Over a year ago

Mhh, mine works fine, since it compiles de .cc file, the problem lies when trying to run it. Note: the && conector(?) it doesn't work for me, don't know why tho. Thanks anyway!

Rokas Višinskas Over a year ago

Maybe you're using powershell instead of cmd as the shell?

Bob Brown · Accepted Answer · 2019-09-20 15:26:25Z

1

tasks.json is not the file you want to use for running/debugging an executable. For that, you want to use launch.json. You can create a launch task that takes a dependency on a build task.

Documentation here: https://code.visualstudio.com/Docs/editor/debugging#_launch-configurations
and here (C++ specific): https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/cpp/launch-json-reference

answered Sep 20, 2019 at 15:26

Bob Brown

2041 silver badge7 bronze badges

Comments

piyush172 · Accepted Answer · 2020-08-02 11:43:45Z

{
"version": "2.0.0",
    "tasks": [
      
        {
            "label": "Compile and run",
            "type": "shell",
            "command": "g++",
            "args": [
            
                "-g",
                "${file}",
                "-o",
                "ans.exe",
                ";",
                "cls",
                ";",
                "./ans.exe"
            ],
            "group": {
                "kind": "build",
                "isDefault": true
            },
            "problemMatcher": {
                "owner": "cpp",
                "fileLocation": [
                    "relative",
                    "${workspaceRoot}"
                ],
                "pattern": {
                    "regexp": "^(.):(\\d+):(\\d+):\\s+(warning|error):\\s+(.)$",
                    "file": 1,
                    "line": 2,
                    "column": 3,
                    "severity": 4,
                    "message": 5
                }
            }
        },
    ]
}

This is working very fine

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