How I Use VSCode to Code for B4X Platform - A Productivity Boost

jroriz · Sunday at 1:04 PM

Hi everyone! I’d like to share a setup I’ve been using to code with the B4X platform while leveraging the power of VSCode for editing. This approach combines the best of both worlds: B4X IDE for project management and VSCode for coding efficiency.

My Setup:

1. Create the project in B4X IDE and keep the IDE open. This is essential for compiling and running the code.
2. Open the project folder in VSCode and use it exclusively for coding.

With this setup, I make changes in VSCode, save the file, and see the updates reflected in the B4X IDE. However, the update isn’t always instant—to ensure changes sync correctly, click back into the B4X IDE and wait for it to refresh before running your code. Otherwise, you risk losing any recent edits.

Note: Everything except coding should still be done in the B4X IDE, such as creating pages, modules, and classes; adding libraries, files, and layouts; and managing other project settings. VSCode is used strictly for writing and editing code.

Key Benefits of Using VSCode:

- Text Highlighting that improves readability and organization.
- Git/GitHub Integration for version control and collaboration.
- Code Assistant: I use Codeium, which provides AI-powered code suggestions, helping me prototype ideas more quickly.

Since I started working this way, my productivity has gone up significantly. Let me know if you try this approach — I'd love to hear your experiences!

LucaMs · Sunday at 1:14 PM

I don't know how efficient (and error-free) that Codeium is, which I don't know (thanks for this information) but the B4* IDE is quite useful, you can't do without it, its "suggestions" are indispensable (not to mention that for some time now it also allows you to insert your own snippets, although my tool lmSnippetManager is incredibly magnificent and indispensable )

jroriz · Sunday at 2:26 PM

LucaMs said:
I don't know how efficient (and error-free) that Codeium is, which I don't know (thanks for this information) but the B4* IDE is quite useful, you can't do without it, its "suggestions" are indispensable (not to mention that for some time now it also allows you to insert your own snippets, although my tool lmSnippetManager is incredibly magnificent and indispensable )

Hey! You’re right—Codeium (and other copilots like GitHub Copilot) aren’t always 100% accurate, but they make you incredibly productive. They often anticipate what you need to code next and can even generate code from comments, which is a huge time-saver.

You should definitely give Codeium a shot! It’s free, and I think you’ll be surprised at how helpful it can be.

Alexander Stolte · Sunday at 2:53 PM

jroriz said:
Key Benefits of Using VSCode:

- Text Highlighting that improves readability and organization.
- Git/GitHub Integration for version control and collaboration.
- Code Assistant: I use Codeium, which provides AI-powered code suggestions, helping me prototype ideas more quickly.

and where is the intellisense?

Sandman · Sunday at 3:26 PM

jroriz said:
Text Highlighting that improves readability and organization.

What do you use for syntax highlighting?

jroriz · Sunday at 3:27 PM

Alexander Stolte said:
and where is the intellisense?

Intellisense too. I've just listed a few benefits.

jroriz · Sunday at 3:28 PM

Sandman said:
What do you use for syntax highlighting?

Just open the folder with vscode and the magic happens...

aeric · Sunday at 3:30 PM

If you find it useful then just go ahead.

I do use VScode together with B4X IDEs but only for editing files that contains no programming language, such as config file, JSON, HTML, CSS and JavaScript.

Alexander Stolte · Sunday at 3:30 PM

jroriz said:
Intellisense too. I've just listed a few benefits.

When I hover over a property with the mouse, nothing happens. Which is logical, since VSCode does not know how to use B4XLibs or other libraries.

aeric · Sunday at 3:32 PM

jroriz said:
Just open the folder with vscode and the magic happens...

B4X already have syntax highlighting and auto formatting.
If you want, you can change the theme such as Dark theme or create your own custom theme.

jroriz · Sunday at 3:52 PM

The main benefits are the ease of using Git/GitHub and the integration of artificial intelligence (in my case, Codeium) as a coding assistant. So, it's a mix of an IDE with VSCode.

LucaMs · Sunday at 4:12 PM

B4X intellisense is indispensable.
Not only that, also its semi-automatic event generator.

Trying to use AI tools can be useful in some cases, but there is no need to do it in VSCode, which is too limited compared to the B4X IDEs Editor.

Version control is useful, but just to have that is not worth using VSCode.

AnandGupta · Sunday at 5:31 PM

It is personal choice of text editing and will always be.
No two programmers think same and edit same, as per my experience of handling junior programmers code for our company app.

@jroriz just showed what he found useful, as per him, and no other programmer need to follow if not useful to them, but in no case it should be treated as silly or useless.

I use UltraEdit along with B4X ide and have wished to open the .bas file from ide itself as like images.
UltraEdit has features of macro and scripts etc. which make me develop faster, but it may not be same of other programmers.

Thanks @jroriz for the suggestion of Vscode. Looking forward to try Codeium too, along with ChatGpt I use.

LucaMs · Sunday at 5:48 PM

AnandGupta said:
but in no case it should be treated as silly or useless.

Has anyone done this?

AnandGupta · Sunday at 5:51 PM

LucaMs said:
Has anyone done this?

Found messages only looking for shortfall , knowing very well that vscode != b4x ide, so yes I felt so.
Maybe I am wrong but we must welcome other options than B4X ide if some one finds useful.

Masters here have use command line instead of ide, I have read, so they are happy with their text editors I see.

jroriz · 2024-11-04T00:31:35+0000

Thank you to everyone participating. The goal here, as @AnandGupta mentioned, is to share my experience with you all.

One of VSCode's strongest points is its extensions, and one that has significantly boosted my productivity is AI-ASSISTED PROGRAMMING. There are several extensions and AI tools available for this purpose, and I chose Codeium.

I’m not talking about simple IntelliSense; I mean a tool that actually WRITES code for you. Codeium generates entire code blocks, like a FOR loop or a TRY CAST. It not only predicts what to code next with impressive accuracy but can also comment, document, and explain code.

Of course, the IDE itself remains essential, but VSCode’s code completion takes us to another level.

Go ahead and try it out. The reality is that anyone not using AI to assist with coding is losing a LOT of time.

aeric · 2024-11-04T04:03:14+0000

jroriz said:
The reality is that anyone not using AI to assist with coding is losing a LOT of time.

I don't agree. Most of the time the syntax are not correct and wasting my time. I need to spend time telling it to try again and again, provided I have to know it did wrong.

LucaMs · 2024-11-04T05:47:07+0000

jroriz said:
Thank you to everyone participating. The goal here, as @AnandGupta mentioned, is to share my experience with you all.

One of VSCode's strongest points is its extensions, and one that has significantly boosted my productivity is AI-ASSISTED PROGRAMMING. There are several extensions and AI tools available for this purpose, and I chose Codeium.

I’m not talking about simple IntelliSense; I mean a tool that actually WRITES code for you. Codeium generates entire code blocks, like a FOR loop or a TRY CAST. It not only predicts what to code next with impressive accuracy but can also comment, document, and explain code.

Of course, the IDE itself remains essential, but VSCode’s code completion takes us to another level.

Go ahead and try it out. The reality is that anyone not using AI to assist with coding is losing a LOT of time.

I'm pretty sure we can get the best out of it using B4X IDEs, and sometimes it's just a matter of opening a browser (always open on B4X.com) and trying to ask ChatGPT.

LucaMs · 2024-11-04T06:07:44+0000

B4X IDEs have never shown me a message like the following:

(but I fear they will do that sooner or later, due to third party SW parts / .Net Framework. Luckily I'll already be dead )

AnandGupta · 2024-11-04T17:33:57+0000

Thanks @jroriz for the Codeium lead.
I found on it webpage that it supports VS too as extension.
Since I am building new app in C# and I have zero knowledge / experience in c# I am using Chatgpt as my guidance.
The Codeium extension will help me a lot in VS ide itself (though MS already have Git+Co pilot, I prefer not)

How I Use VSCode to Code for B4X Platform - A Productivity Boost

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