Visual Studio 2019 debug embedded targets. How to force VS to not treat it as a windows executable - c

Question

I am trying to set up Cmake ARM uC (STM32) embedded project in the VS 2019.
Project buils OK but I struggle to start the debug session.
I have amended launch.vs.json
{
"version": "0.2.1",
"defaults": {},
"configurations": [
{
"type": "cppdbg",
"name": "GCEC-FW.elf",
"project": "out\\build\\IoT-Debug\\GCEC-FW.elf",
"projectTarget": "",
"cwd": "${workspaceRoot}",
"program": "${workspaceRoot}\\BUILD\\${workspaceRootFolderName}.elf",
"MIMode": "gdb",
"externalConsole": true,
"inheritEnvironments": [
"gcc_arm"
],
"miDebuggerPath": "${env.gccpath}\\bin\\arm-none-eabi-gdb.exe",
"setupCommands": [
{
"text": "-environment-cd ${workspaceRoot}/BUILD"
},
{
"text": "-file-exec-and-symbols ${workspaceRootFolderName}.elf",
"description": "load file",
"ignoreFailures": false
},
{
"text": "-enable-pretty-printing",
"ignoreFailures": true
}
],
"visualizerFile": "${debugInfo.linuxNatvisPath}",
"showDisplayString": true,
"miDebuggerServerAddress": "localhost:3333",
"launchCompleteCommand": "None",
"debugServerPath": "C:\\Program Files (x86)\Atollic\\TrueSTUDIO for STM32 9.3.0\\Servers\\J-Link_gdbserver\\JLinkGDBServerCL.exe",
"debugServerArgs": "-port 2331 -s -CPU Cortex-M -device STM32F427II -endian little -speed 4000 -vd -swoport 2332",
"serverStarted": "GDB\\ server\\ started",
"filterStderr": true,
"filterStdout": true
}
]
}
But when I try to start the debug session I am getting error stating that my .elf file is not an win32 executable (which is actually correct - it is not).
The question is: what has to be done VS to start this session?
edit
I needed to change the name when adding appending the new microcontroller debug configuration.
"name": "GCEC-FW.elf"
Now it complains about the path to the gdb.
The new question is: can I output or see build variables in VisualStudio - Like
${workspaceRootFolderName} or ${env.gccpath}

Answer 1

Regarding "... can I output or see build variables in VisualStudio - Like: ${workspaceRootFolderName} or ${env.gccpath}
To display all of the currently available macros, in the Property
Pages dialog, under VC++ Directories, choose the drop-down arrow at
the end of a property row. Click on Edit and then in the edit dialog
box, choose the Macros button. The current set of properties and
macros visible to Visual Studio is listed along with the current value
for each. For more information, see the Specifying User-Defined Values
section of C++ project property page reference.
More here about that.