Getting started with vscode in Linux toolchain not found

[ephimee]

System details:

- Ubuntu Linux version 20.04.5 LTS
- nRF Connect for Desktop v3.12.0
- Toolchain Manager v1.2.1
- NCS v2.2.0
- Visual Studio Code 1.74.3

I want to get started with Visual Studio Code and NCS 2. I found a guide on youtube that I followed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcMCaODyISo

Because I had installed vscode before, I never got it to work and the forum suggested to uninstall everything before trying again I performed the following actions:
- removed all NCS versions
- uninstalled Visual Studio Code
- uninstalled nRF connect
- restarted my computer

Then I followed the steps in the video. The video suggests that it works on any operating system.

I installed the nRF Connect and installed the Toolchain Manager.
I installed NCS v2.2.0
From the Toolchain manager I started vscode, which was not installed.
After installing vscode I installed all the plugins.
Then the video suggest to go to the nRF welcome page and select the correct toolchain.

But I cannot change the toolchain, instead it's set to version 2.0.2, which is not installed?!

And there is a message saying:
An SDK is already selected in this workspace, so another cannot be selected.

I don't see an option to close the workspace or to create a new workspace.
But in the explorer I do not see a workspace. so I don't understand the error message?

I also tried copying blinky example to a new directory, then choose file - open folder - blinky. But I still cannot change the toolchain.

[Taylor]

You may trying launching Visual Studio Code directly instead of from the Toolchain Manager.

[ephimee]

Thank you for the suggestion. I just tried but it did not solve the problem (problem remains the same).

[ephimee]

That option is not available

[Priyanka]

Could you share a screenshot o your screen after selecting the VSCode extension ?

Also, have you tried installing the nRF Connect for VSCode extension pack?

[ephimee]

it was not installed, I installed it.

When I select it and then press the nRF Connect button on the left, it keeps on loading (the blue line animations from left to right).

[Priyanka]

I as well as few customers previously did face this issue. This was resolved as follows:

When we closed all tabs and then again opened VSCode via Toolchain manager, pop ups occur in the bottom right corner. Once you select the appropriate options in the pop ups, the loading.... goes away.

-Priyanka

[ephimee]

I got this popup:

I pressed dismiss. Then I closed all tabs. Closed vscode. Started vscode from the toolchain manager.

Then I got a welcome tab. I closed the welcome tab, no tabs remained.

Then I selected the VS Code Extension Pack. I pressed the nRF Connect button on the left again. But got the same issue with the loading animations (see previous screenshot).

[Priyanka]

This is getting a bit confusing to me. :) I can mention some steps:

1. Open Toolchain Manager from nRF Connect for Desktop app

2. Select the Open VS Code option against the required version.

3. This opens up VSCode. Wait for some time, and then you might get the pop up that you shared regarding changing the SDK version. So then select "Change" and this takes you to the welcome page.

4. There you can select your required toolchain and SDK version and by this time, hopefully, the "Loading" should have stopped. It happens until all pop ups have been answered usually.

-Priyanka

[ephimee]

Ok, I got the first popup:

I pressed No.

Then I got the second popup with SDK version and pressed change. But I did not get welcome page, instead I get this:

[Priyanka]

And when you select the v2.2.0, do you still get the loading.... problem ?

[ephimee]

Most of the time I get loading problems, I tried a few times until I no longer got loading problems.

Then I created build configuration for my Nordic DK and I got the following error message:

I also attach it as text so it's searchable:

 *  Executing task: nRF Connect: Generate config nrf52840dk_nrf52840 for /home/ephimee/vscode/blinky 

Building blinky
west build --build-dir /home/ephimee/vscode/blinky/buildDK /home/ephimee/vscode/blinky --pristine --board nrf52840dk_nrf52840 -- -DNCS_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION:STRING="NONE" -DCONFIG_DEBUG_OPTIMIZATIONS=y -DCONFIG_DEBUG_THREAD_INFO=y

-- west build: generating a build system
Loading Zephyr default modules (Zephyr base).
-- Application: /home/ephimee/vscode/blinky
-- Found Python3: /usr/bin/python3.8 (found suitable exact version "3.8.10") found components: Interpreter 
-- Cache files will be written to: /home/ephimee/.cache/zephyr
-- Zephyr version: 3.2.99 (/home/ephimee/ncs2/v2.2.0/zephyr)
-- Found west (found suitable version "0.13.1", minimum required is "0.7.1")
-- Board: nrf52840dk_nrf52840
CMake Error at /home/ephimee/ncs2/v2.2.0/zephyr/cmake/modules/FindZephyr-sdk.cmake:63 (find_package):
  Could not find a configuration file for package "Zephyr-sdk" that is
  compatible with requested version "0.15".

  The following configuration files were considered but not accepted:

    /home/ephimee/zephyr-sdk-0.14.2/cmake/Zephyr-sdkConfig.cmake, version: 0.14.2
    /home/ephimee/zephyr-sdk-0.12.4/cmake/Zephyr-sdkConfig.cmake, version: 0.12.4
    /home/ephimee/zephyr-sdk-0.11.4/cmake/Zephyr-sdkConfig.cmake, version: 0.11.4

Call Stack (most recent call first):
  /home/ephimee/ncs2/v2.2.0/zephyr/cmake/modules/FindHostTools.cmake:53 (find_package)
  /home/ephimee/ncs2/v2.2.0/zephyr/cmake/modules/dts.cmake:8 (find_package)
  /home/ephimee/ncs2/v2.2.0/zephyr/cmake/modules/zephyr_default.cmake:108 (include)
  /home/ephimee/ncs2/v2.2.0/zephyr/share/zephyr-package/cmake/ZephyrConfig.cmake:66 (include)
  /home/ephimee/ncs2/v2.2.0/zephyr/share/zephyr-package/cmake/ZephyrConfig.cmake:92 (include_boilerplate)
  CMakeLists.txt:4 (find_package)


-- Configuring incomplete, errors occurred!
FATAL ERROR: command exited with status 1: /home/ephimee/.local/bin/cmake -DWEST_PYTHON=/usr/bin/python3 -B/home/ephimee/vscode/blinky/buildDK -GNinja -DBOARD=nrf52840dk_nrf52840 -DNCS_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION:STRING=NONE -DCONFIG_DEBUG_OPTIMIZATIONS=y -DCONFIG_DEBUG_THREAD_INFO=y -S/home/ephimee/vscode/blinky

 *  The terminal process terminated with exit code: 1. 
 *  Terminal will be reused by tasks, press any key to close it. 

Do I need to install the zephyr SDK manually? It's not part of the installation guide.

[Priyanka]

It shows Zephyr_SDK 0.15 not found. Could you try following this guide to install and then try again to build?