CanMV for VS Code

CanMV for VS Code brings CanMV K230 board development into the editor. It connects to the board through the bundled native backend, runs MicroPython scripts, streams camera frames, manages files on the device, and provides an integrated board terminal.

Features

• Connect and disconnect CanMV K230 boards from the CanMV activity bar or Command Palette.
• Auto-detect supported boards by USB VID/PID 1209:abd1, with a manual serial path override when needed.
• Run the active Python file on the board, stop a running script, or run a Python file directly from the device tree.
• Preview live IDE framebuffer images with fit/original-size modes, rotation, PNG capture, FPS display, and RGB/grayscale/LAB/YUV histograms.
• Send virtual touch clicks from the preview when the connected firmware reports virtual touch support.
• Browse mounted device storage, including /sdcard, /data, and /udisk.
• Create, rename, delete, upload, download, open, edit, and auto-sync remote files.
• Save the active editor directly as /sdcard/main.py or /boot.py.
• Use the CanMV Terminal panel for board output, REPL input, Ctrl-C script interrupt, log clearing, and log export.
• Configure K230 MicroPython stubs for Pylance, with automatic download and local cache reuse.
• Inspect extension, backend, stubs, preview, and transfer logs in the CanMV Output channel.

Requirements

• VS Code 1.90.0 or newer.
• A CanMV K230 board connected over USB.
• Pylance is installed automatically as an extension dependency for Python analysis.
• For source development, install Node.js/npm and Go.

Quick Start

1. Connect a CanMV K230 board over USB.
2. Open the Command Palette and run CanMV: Connect Board.
3. Open a Python file.
4. Run CanMV: Run Active Python Script from the Command Palette, the editor run button, or the editor context menu.
5. Use the CanMV activity bar views for board status, tools, and device files.
6. Open the CanMV Terminal panel to view output or enter REPL commands when no script is running.

Main Views

Common Workflows

Connect to a Board

Run CanMV: Connect Board. The extension starts the backend, detects the board, performs the board handshake, updates the status bar, refreshes the Device tree, and configures Python stubs when possible.

If auto-detection does not find the board, set canmv.serialPath to a serial device path such as /dev/ttyACM0. When canmv.serialPath is set, canmv.baudRate is used for the connection.

Run a Script

Open a Python file and run CanMV: Run Active Python Script. While a script is running, the terminal mirrors script output and the run button changes to stop. Use CanMV: Stop Script or press Ctrl-C in the CanMV Terminal to interrupt the script.

The editor context menu also includes CanMV: Run Active File on K230. For remote or mirrored files, this saves/syncs the file and runs the remote path. For ordinary local files, it sends the current editor contents directly to the board.

Preview Camera Frames

Open Preview from the Toolbox or run CanMV: Enable Preview. When the running script publishes IDE framebuffer data, the preview streams JPEG frames into a tool tab.

The Preview tool supports:

• Fit-to-window and original-size viewing.
• 90-degree rotation.
• Saving the current frame as PNG.
• FPS and frame count display.
• RGB, grayscale, LAB, and YUV histograms.
• Virtual touch click forwarding when supported by the board firmware.

Preview starts automatically after a script begins when the Preview tool is open and preview is not manually disabled.

Manage Device Files

Open the Device view after connecting. Directories can be expanded, and files can be opened from the tree. Right-click a directory or mounted root to create files/folders, upload files, or upload a folder. Right-click files or folders to download, rename, or delete them.

Python files opened from the Device tree are mirrored into .canmv/remote inside the current workspace. Saving a mirrored file syncs it back to the board automatically. The extension also updates python.analysis.extraPaths so Pylance can resolve imports from the mirror.

Save Startup Files

Use the editor context menu while connected:

• CanMV: Save as main.py writes the active editor to /sdcard/main.py.
• CanMV: Save as boot.py writes the active editor to /boot.py.

Use the Terminal

The CanMV Terminal panel keeps recent scrollback, mirrors board/script output, and accepts REPL input when the board is connected and no script is running. Terminal input is disabled while a script runs, except Ctrl-C, which requests a script stop. The terminal webview also supports clearing output and saving the log.

Commands

Settings

The backend path can also be overridden with the CANMV_BACKEND_PATH environment variable.

Python Stubs

The extension configures Pylance stubs for K230 MicroPython APIs. On activation it reuses the last cached stubs revision, then the newest local cache, and finally downloads the latest revision when canmv.stubsAutoDownload is enabled. After a board connects, it attempts to switch to stubs matching the connected board revision.

Stubs are cached under:

~/.kendryte/k230_canmv_stubs/<revision>

The extension writes python.analysis.stubPath to the workspace when possible, with global settings as a fallback.

Backend

The extension talks to the board through a bundled native Go backend:

extension/bin/<platform>/canmv-backend
extension/bin/<platform>/canmv-backend.exe

Supported package targets are:

• linux-x64
• linux-arm64
• win32-x64
• win32-arm64
• darwin-x64
• darwin-arm64

For local troubleshooting, build a backend from native/go and set canmv.backendPath or CANMV_BACKEND_PATH to the resulting executable.

Development

Install dependencies and compile the extension:

cd extension
npm install
npm run compile

Build and stage the backend for the current platform:

./scripts/stage-current-backend.sh

Package a VSIX with all supported backend binaries:

./scripts/package.sh

You can also package from the extension directory after compiling and staging a backend:

cd extension
npm run package:vsix

Troubleshooting

• Board is not detected: check board power, USB data cable, permissions, and canmv.serialPath.
• Backend executable is missing: build/stage the backend or set canmv.backendPath.
• Script output is missing: open the CanMV Terminal panel and the CanMV Output channel.
• Preview is empty: make sure the running script publishes IDE framebuffer data.
• Preview stops updating: disable and re-enable Preview, or stop and restart the script.
• Remote file edits are not syncing: save the mirrored local file and check the CanMV Output channel for transfer errors.
• Python completions are missing: confirm Pylance is installed, reload VS Code after stubs are configured, and check python.analysis.stubPath.
• File operations fail: refresh the Device tree and inspect the CanMV Output channel.

Repository

• Issues: https://github.com/kendryte/canmv-vscode-extension/issues
• Source: https://github.com/kendryte/canmv-vscode-extension