I’m just getting myself setup to mess around with writing drivers for a couple of devices I have kicking around, very similar to ones which drivers are already available for (my Launchkey for instance) and I’ve been looking over the code and I figure I can do this, now that I realize it’s all Python. :>
I’ve been reading the guide, which is exquisite, and I see that it favors VSCode, like much of the but I’m curious whether one could use VSCodium, which has the advantage of not being touched by Microsoft and their AI lords, without losing any functionality working with a Zynthian? Generally it’s in the Plugins that these Community versions of mersh stuff begin to suffer.
Alternately, I do own a pretty recent PyCharm license, but my inclination is to use one of the above, because it’s what the team uses, and it’s always easier to get help if you do things the same as the community.
FYI, I always use PyCharm, just as a code editor. I like to do repo management from command line. I always test/debug in real zynthian devices, from command line. I don’t love IDEs too much
I tend to use VSCode as it allows me to pick-up where I left of without even saving. I like it’s debugger integration and I use it for other development when plugins are advantageous so it’s a familiar environment. I will use vi and command line if I feel like it, e.g. the change would be fine quicker than without for the IDE to start. Something I really like with VSCode is it’s remote access over ssh, allowing me to develop (and test via vnc) on my laptop connected to a real zynthian, wherever I am on the world… mostly on the sofa in the next room but sometimes +12 hour timezone away.
Many things on Vsc, mostly just work, whilst configuring remote debugging on PyCharm was often hit and miss. Not a problem when your employer pays for it, more of an issue if you are self financing. I don’t know how good it is in this regard nowadays.
At the moment I’m on PiZero 2W for projects ( only vaguely related to Zynthian) and Vsc can’t quite manage those without problems so I’m back on light Linux desktop editors, but Vsc does seem very good when used with Pi Pico 2W, which it seems to just run.
I’m not a core developer by any stretch of the imagination so treat these remarks as a simple child with his nose pressed against the toy shop window.
I am not instinctively a developer, I tend to use vim for most things, but with only the barest enhancements, 4 spaces for tabs is about the extent of my vimrc. But people keep saying it’s better to use em, and I can see where I would indeed find it useful, and helpful at getting better at stuff. Even breakpoints feel like a miracle, when I can make em work. :>
Breakpints are great. I love the integration that VSCode give you with the ability to set breakpoints, configure them, e.g. making them conditional. It is fantastic to say, break at this point only when these variables contain these values, so you can capture the 1024th iteration of a loop. Also, the ability to inspect the values of variables, step through code, etc. These are the tools that make development much easier. If I had to add debug output all the time, I would not have been so prolific. I know there are lots of tools and features that I don’t know and should probably find time to learn them, but what little I do know gets me by. (I remember just a handful of commands forvithat I learned in a Unix course in the 1990’s which I use almost every day.)
VSC can’t quite manage a Pi Zero 2W remotely, it tends to seize up, so since this is where most of my development is taking place at the moment I’m on a combination of Geany, Thonny and whatever the Pi desktops reckons the editor should be for the particular file extension chosen.
VSCode seizing up my development RPi 3b is very painful.. Such bloatware Probably no issues on more powerful RPi’s, but this is what I had laying around.
After hours of attempts to tweak it and questioning my sanity, I gave up, I only wanted to try some minor tweaks anyway.
So now I’m using Cyberduck to access the files, and just drag and drop
In the past I had PyCharm Pro through work, and did lots of development on RPi 3b’s without any problems.. Too bad the free version can’t do that.
Probably no issues on more powerful RPi’s, but this is what I had laying around.