ProcessingCLI for VS Code
Run Processing sketches in Visual Studio Code with ProcessingCLI.
This is a fork of the Processing Foundation's VS Code extension. It keeps the run and stop buttons, syntax highlighting, code suggestions and the sketchbook sidebar, but runs sketches with ProcessingCLI instead of the Processing app. Sketches start in about 0.7 seconds instead of about 2.
It is not made or endorsed by the Processing Foundation.
Getting Started
Prerequisites
- Uninstall the Processing Foundation extension and any other Processing extensions. They conflict with this one.
- Running sketches doesn't need Processing installed. Code suggestions, error checking, the sketchbook sidebar and exporting still use Processing 4.4.6 or later (Download Processing). Run it once after installing so it creates the files the extension needs.
Installation
Search for "ProcessingCLI" in the Extensions view (Ctrl + Shift + X, or Cmd + Shift + X on macOS) and install the extension published by "konpeki".
Then open the Command Palette (Ctrl + Shift + P, or Cmd + Shift + P on macOS) and run Download ProcessingCLI. It downloads ProcessingCLI and sets processing.cliPath for you. Downloads are available for Windows (x64) and macOS (Apple Silicon). On other platforms, or to use your own build, set processing.cliPath yourself.
Running Your First Sketch
- Click the Processing icon in the Activity Bar on the side of the VS Code window.
- Open a sketch from your sketchbook or from the examples.
- Click the Run button, or press
Ctrl + R (Cmd + R on macOS).
The sketch's output appears in the Processing Console panel at the bottom of VS Code, and the sketch window opens.
Settings
Open Settings (Ctrl + ,, or Cmd + , on macOS) and search for "Processing".
processing.cliPath: Full path to the ProcessingCLI executable used to run sketches. Download ProcessingCLI sets this.processing.autosave: Saves your sketch before running it. Default: true.processing.newWindow: Opens sketches in a new VS Code window. If disabled, sketches open in the current window. Default: true.processing.version: Which installed Processing version to use for code suggestions, the sidebar and exporting. Default: latest, or give a version such as 4.4.6.
Known Issues
- Some Processing constants (like
PI, RGB, DEGREES) are not highlighted.
- The extension includes a bundled JDK for macOS, Windows and Linux, used to find your Processing installation. This makes the extension larger.
Troubleshooting
If a sketch won't run, run Download ProcessingCLI again.
If code suggestions or the sidebar don't work:
- Close VS Code
- Remove any other Processing extensions
- Install the latest version of Processing (4.4.6 or later) and run it once
Then reopen VS Code. If you still have problems, open an issue on GitHub.
License
See LICENSE. This project is a fork of the Processing VS Code extension by the Processing Foundation.
For Processing's own licensing, see the Processing README.
