Getting Started

To get started with the EDK2Code extension, you first need to have Visual Studio Code installed on your system. You can download it from the official Visual Studio Code website. Ensure you have version ^1.77.0 or later to be compatible with the EDK2Code extension.

Cscope is a required tool for some C-related functionalities of the EDK2Code extension.

  • Windows: Cscope comes included with the EDK2Code extension, so no additional installation is needed.
  • Linux: You need to install Cscope manually. For Ubuntu, you can install it using the following command: 
    sudo apt install cscope

Additionally, if you have a preferred installation path for Cscope, you can set it using the edk2code.cscopeOverwritePath setting in Visual Studio Code.

To install the EDK2Code extension:

  1. Open Visual Studio Code.
  2. Go to the Extensions view by clicking on the Extensions icon in the Activity Bar on the side of the window or by pressing Ctrl+Shift+X.
  3. Search for EDK2Code.
  4. Click on the Install button next to the EDK2Code extension from Intel Corporation.

Alternatively, you can manually install the extension using the .vsix file:

  1. Download the latest .vsix file from the EDK2Code releases page.
  2. Open Visual Studio Code.
  3. Go to the Extensions view by clicking on the Extensions icon in the Activity Bar on the side of the window or by pressing Ctrl+Shift+X.
  4. Click on the three-dot menu in the upper right corner of the Extensions view and select Install from VSIX....
  5. Browse to the location where you downloaded the .vsix file and select it to install the extension.

The EDK2Code extension provides several basic functions to enhance the coding experience. These functionalities are inferred based on the source code without knowing the actual compilation arguments. However, once the build index is generated, the results of these actions should be accurate.

Here is a table summarizing the key functions and the types of files that support each command:

Function Supported File Types
Syntax Highlight INF, DSC, DEC, VFR, ACPI
Outline INF, DSC, DEC, VFR, ACPI
Go to Definition INF, DSC, C
Go to include DSC
Go to INF C

Tip

To utilize the advanced features of the EDK2Code extension, you need to index the database. This indexing process enables capabilities such as fast code navigation, accurate code completion, and error detection. For more details, please refer to the Advanced Features section.

Provides syntax highlighting for various EDK2 file types to improve readability and code comprehension.

syntax

Displays an outline tree for the supported file types, helping developers to navigate through the sections of the file easily.

Outline tree

Allows you to right-click on a symbol (function, variable, etc.) and select Go to Definition (F12) to open the symbol definition.

Example on INF file: Go to Definition

Example on DSC file:

Enables you to right-click within a DSC file and select Go to include to see if the DSC file was included (!Include) in another DSC file.

When working in a C file, you can right-click and select Go to INF to open the .inf file that compiled the C file.

By leveraging these basic functions, the EDK2Code extension enhances navigation and readability, making the development process more efficient.

When you open a file in the editor, the status bar will display a warning if the file you are viewing has not been compiled. This feature helps you quickly identify whether the current file has been successfully compiled. As EDK2 projects usually contain different implementations of the same modules, this feature helps to identify files that are actually in use.