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CMake-Embedded

Generate a ready-to-build CMake project for bare-metal MCU firmware directly from VS Code.

The extension scans the opened workspace for C/C++ sources, headers, and preprocessor definitions, then generates the CMake files needed for an arm-none-eabi-gcc build.

Features

• Generate CMakeLists.txt from the current project directory
• Generate an MCU linker script and GNU assembler startup file
• Generate the C runtime support files under system/
• Generate Debug configure and build presets for Ninja
• Configure CMake Tools to use the generated presets
• Configure C/C++ IntelliSense from the CMake compile database
• Generate an optional OpenOCD flash.py script independently from CMake
• Generate a Cortex-Debug OpenOCD launch configuration
• Generate .elf, .hex, and .bin files after a successful build
• Prompt before overwriting generated files

The flash script supports J-Link OB, J-Link, ST-Link, and DapLink. The CMake device selection and OpenOCD flash-target selection are independent, so a project can use a custom CMake build and still generate a flash script. The probe selection provides the OpenOCD interface configuration. GD32 F1/F4 targets use the compatible STM32 F1/F4 OpenOCD targets.

Demo

The device database currently includes common STM32/GD32 F1 and F4 parts plus the STM32L4 family, including GD32F103C8T6, GD32F103CBT6, GD32F103R8T6, GD32F103RBT6, GD32F407RGT6, GD32F407VGT6, GD32F450VGT6, STM32F103C8T6, STM32F103CBT6, STM32F103R8T6, STM32F103RBT6, STM32F103VBT6, STM32F405RGT6, STM32F407RGT6, STM32F407VET6, STM32F407VGT6, STM32F407ZGT6, and STM32L496VET6.

The device picker groups them by vendor first (STM or GD), then by series (STMF1x, STMF4x, STML4x, GDF1x, or GDF4x).

Requirements

• VS Code 1.85 or newer
• CMake Tools extension
• C/C++ extension
• Cortex-Debug extension
• CMake 3.22 or newer
• Ninja
• Arm GNU Toolchain with these commands available in PATH: arm-none-eabi-gcc, arm-none-eabi-g++, arm-none-eabi-objcopy, and arm-none-eabi-size

Usage

1. Open the MCU project folder in VS Code.

2. Open the Command Palette and run CMake-Embedded: Generate Project.

3. Follow the prompts and confirm the generated files when asked.

4. Configure and build the project with the generated presets:

   cmake --preset debug
   cmake --build --preset debug
   

The project generator asks whether flash.py should also be generated. If selected, it asks for an OpenOCD flash target and probe separately from the CMake build device. You can also run CMake-Embedded: Generate OpenOCD Flash Script by itself. This command asks only for the flash target and debug probe, then writes flash.py in the project root without changing an existing CMake project. The flash target database includes STM32 F0/F1/F2/F3/F4/F7/G0/G4/H7/ L0/L1/L4/L5/U5/WB/WL families and GD32 E23x/F1/F4/VF103 targets.

Set CMake-Embedded: Openocd Path in VS Code settings when OpenOCD is not available in PATH. The generated script stores that value as its default and accepts an override when needed:

python flash.py
python flash.py --firmware build/my-project.elf
python flash.py --probe stlink
python flash.py --openocd D:\Tools\OpenOCD\bin\openocd.exe
python flash.py --dry-run

If Cortex-Debug cannot find the ARM GNU toolchain, set CMake-Embedded: Arm Toolchain Path to the bin directory containing the arm-none-eabi tools. The generated debug configuration uses this path and sets the toolchain prefix to arm-none-eabi.

Run CMake-Embedded: Generate Cortex-Debug Configuration to add a standard OpenOCD launch configuration to .vscode/launch.json. The generated entry uses ${command:cmake.launchTargetPath} for the firmware, so it works with the generated CMake project and with a user-provided CMake project. Existing launch configurations are preserved. Press F5 in VS Code to start the Cortex-Debug session.

After generation, CMake Tools is configured to use CMake presets and configure the project when the workspace opens. The generated debug configure and build presets are available from CMake Tools. The C/C++ extension reads include paths, defines, compiler flags, and language settings from the CMake compile database at build/debug/compile_commands.json; the full IntelliSense engine is enabled with the ARM GCC toolchain so inactive branches of #if/#ifdef blocks are dimmed.

The build directory is build/debug. Firmware output files are generated there together with the map file and memory usage report.

Generated Layout

<project>/
├── CMakeLists.txt
├── CMakePresets.json
├── .vscode/
│   ├── settings.json
│   ├── c_cpp_properties.json
│   └── launch.json             (optional Cortex-Debug configuration)
├── <mcu>.ld
├── startup_<device>.S
├── flash.py                 (optional OpenOCD flash script)
├── cmake/
│   └── <device>-toolchain.cmake
└── system/
    ├── syscalls.c
    └── sysmem.c

The generated files are regular project files and can be reviewed or edited after generation when the project needs custom memory reservations, startup behavior, or build settings.

Development

npm install
npm test

Press F5 in VS Code to launch an Extension Development Host, open an MCU workspace, and run CMake-Embedded: Generate Project from the Command Palette.

Project Status

This repository is an early extension prototype. Device profiles and generated templates are intentionally kept small so more MCU families can be added incrementally.