I need some help regarding writing C code in vscode in wsl - c

Question

I downloaded the gcc compiler into my linux environment and used ssh to get into vscode to simulate a linux environment on my windows machine. The files I have created compile and the makefile my professor gave me works fine, however whenever I go to debug using the gdb debugger my professor also provided, which is formatted correctly, the debugger hangs and doesnt allow me to step through my code with break points. I'm providing the code for the debugger as well as the cpp properties and the task files.
debugger code:
{
// 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": "gcc build debug stacks",
"type": "cppdbg",
"request": "launch",
"program": "${workspaceFolder}/runner",
"args": [],
"stopAtEntry": false,
"cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
"environment": [],
"externalConsole": true,
"MIMode": "gdb",
"miDebuggerPath": "gdb",
"setupCommands": [
{
"description": "Enable pretty-printing for gdb",
"text": "-enable-pretty-printing",
"ignoreFailures": true
}
],
"preLaunchTask": "make stack runner"
}
]
}
cpp properties:
{
"configurations": [
{
"name": "Linux",
"includePath": [
"${workspaceFolder}/**"
],
"defines": [],
"compilerPath": "/usr/bin/gcc",
"cStandard": "c11",
"cppStandard": "c++17",
"intelliSenseMode": "gcc-x64"
}
],
"version": 4
}
tasks:
{
"version": "2.0.0",
"tasks": [
{
"type": "shell",
"label": "make stack runner",
"command": "make -f makefile DEBUG=1",
"group": {
"kind": "build",
"isDefault": true
},
"presentation": {
"reveal": "always",
"panel": "new"
},
"problemMatcher": [
"$gcc"
]
},
]
}

Answer 1

I don't think you require the tasks as cpp_properties. I'm able to use debug perfectly fine on WSL with only the launch.json file (The debugger code you mentioned) which I will give but I'm sure your problem will be solved if
1) Set externalConsole option as false. For some reason, it is not working in windows when set to "true". With this option, your program will run in the integrated console so you can be tricked into thinking that your program is not running if your program has no outputs before the first scanf() or cin command and your breakpoints are after them. So to be sure, have your breakpoints at the first line of your main() function, so that you don't make this classic newbie mistake.
2) Make sure when you compile the program you are using the -g switch. So your compile command should look like
gcc -g path\to\prog.cpp -o a.out
3) Make sure your program is set to the path of this executable file. If this a.out is generated at the root folder of your workspace, then your setting will be
"program":"${workspaceFolder}/a.out"
That should do.
My launch.json setting is
{
// Use IntelliSense to learn about possible attributes.
// Hover to view descriptions of existing attributes.
// For more information, visit: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=830387
"version": "0.2.0",
"configurations": [
{
"name": "WSL debugging",
"type": "cppdbg",
"request": "launch",
"program": "${workspaceFolder}/a.out",
"args": [],
"stopAtEntry": true,
"cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
"environment": [],
"externalConsole": false,
"MIMode": "gdb",
"setupCommands": [
{
"description": "Enable pretty-printing for gdb",
"text": "-enable-pretty-printing",
"ignoreFailures": true
}
]
}
]
}