4.1. VS Code and Docker

Our software is provided as a Docker image and can therefore be easily integrated into modern software development environments. In this example, Visual Studio Code (referred to as VS Code in the following) is used as the integrated development environment (IDE), but you can of course also use the IDE of your choice.

Note

Please follow the instructions for installation and license activation for the voraus.core before proceeding with the following manual.

4.1.1. Install VS Code Dev Containers

The VS Code extension Dev Containers enables user-friendly development within Docker containers. If you are interested in further information, please read the articles Developing inside a Container and Dev Containers tutorial.

Open VS Code, click on Extensions and search for Dev Containers. Click on install and wait until the installation is complete (see Fig. 14).

VS Code Dev Containers

Fig. 14 Installing Dev Containers VS Code Extension

4.1.2. Dev Container example

To request an example configuration for development in the Docker container of the voraus.core //virtual, please contact us on our website www.vorausrobotik.com.

The example contains a 📂.devcontainer folder with all the files required for the VS Code Dev Containers extension:

📂pioneer-example/
  📂.devcontainer/
    🖹devcontainer.json
    🖹docker-compose.yml
  🖹Dockerfile
  🖹example.py
  🖹...

  • The 🖹docker-compose.yml file describes which Docker containers must be started in which configuration.

  • The 🖹devcontainer.json file describes how VS Code attaches the remote session to the Dev Container.

  • The 🖹Dockerfile contains instructions that prepare the Dev Container Docker image for development, such as creating the user and the workspace directory.

Files such as 🖹example.py can now be created and executed in the workspace during development (see Development).

4.1.3. Open Dev Container

First open the folder containing your Dev Container configuration in VS Code. To subsequently open the folder in the Dev Container press ctrl + shift + p which opens the search function of VS Code. Search for Dev Containers: Rebuild and Reopen in Container and click on it, as shown in Fig. 15.

VS Code Reopen in Container

Fig. 15 Reopen current Workspace in Container

The current workspace will now be loaded into the newly created Docker container. This may take some time.

The voraus.operator of the voraus.core //virtual can be accessed via localhost:8080 with your web browser, as shown in Fig. 16.

VS Code Dev Container voraus.operator

Fig. 16 The voraus.operator of the voraus.core //virtual

4.1.4. Select Python Interpreter

If VS Code does not recognize the Python interpreter by itself, press ctrl + shift + p, search for Python: Select Interpreter and click on it (see Fig. 17).

VS Code Select Interpreter_menu

Fig. 17 VS Code Python: Select Interpreter Menu

Select /usr/bin/python in the following menu, as shown in Fig. 18. From now on, Python autocompletion, syntax highlighting and type hinting are available to you.

VS Code Select Interpreter

Fig. 18 VS Code Python: Select Python Interpreter from Docker Container

4.1.5. Leave Dev Container

When you are finished with the development, you can leave the Dev Container by pressing ctrl + shift + p, searching for Dev Containers: Reopen Folder Locally and clicking on it.