How to add ROS to path in VS Code?

edit

For ROS to work completely in Vscode, without an external plugin.

First. change "C_Cpp.intelliSenseEngine": "Tag Parser" for autocomplete:

in .vscode folder, make or change tasks.json for build, clean and prepare for debug.

{
    // See https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=733558
    // for the documentation about the tasks.json format
    "version": "2.0.0",
    "tasks": [
        {
            "label": "prerun",
            "type": "shell",
            "dependsOn": [
                "build package only"
            ],
            "command": "source ../../devel/setup.bash && export ROS_MASTER_URI=http://localhost:11311/ "
        },
        {
            "label": "build all packages",
            "type": "shell",
            "command": "cd ~/catkin_ws/ && catkin config --extend /opt/ros/noetic && catkin build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug -j8",
            "group": {
                "kind": "build",
                "isDefault": true
            },
            "problemMatcher": []
        },
        {
            "label": "build package only",
            "type": "shell",
            "command": "cd ~/catkin_ws/ && catkin config --extend /opt/ros/noetic && catkin build ${workspaceFolderBasename} -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug -j8",
            "group": {
                "kind": "build",
                "isDefault": true
            },
            "problemMatcher": []
        },
        {
            "label": "clean",
            "type": "shell",
            "command": "cd ~/catkin_ws/ && catkin clean --yes"
        },
        {
            "label": "release",
            "type": "shell",
            "command": "sudo checkinstall --install=no catkin build -j4 --cmake--args -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release"
        }
    ]
}

In the file c_cpp_properties.json add include files propriety

{
    "configurations": [
        {
            "browse": {
                "databaseFilename": "",
                "limitSymbolsToIncludedHeaders": true
            },
            "name": "Linux",
            "includePath": [
                "${workspaceFolder}/**",
                "/opt/ros/noetic/include/**",
                "~/catkin_ws/devel/include/**"
            ],
            "defines": [],
            "compilerPath": "/usr/bin/gcc",
            "cStandard": "gnu17",
            "cppStandard": "gnu++14",
            "intelliSenseMode": "gcc-x64"
        }
    ],
    "version": 4
}

For debug, make ou change launch.json

{
    // Use IntelliSense to learn about possible attributes.
    // Hover to view descriptions of existing attributes.
    // For more information, visit: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=830387
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "(gdb) launch",
            "type": "cppdbg",
            "request": "launch",
            "program": "${env:HOME}/catkin_ws/devel/lib/${workspaceFolderBasename}/${fileBasenameNoExtension}",
            "args": [],
            "stopAtEntry": false,
            "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
            "environment": [],
            "externalConsole": false,
            "preLaunchTask": "prerun",
            "MIMode": "gdb",
            "targetArchitecture": "x64",
            "avoidWindowsConsoleRedirection": true,
            "setupCommands": [
                {
                    "description": "Enable pretty-printing for gdb",
                    "text": "-enable-pretty-printing",
                    "ignoreFailures": true
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

Final result:

In addition to clyde answer:

1- Open VSCode and (Ctrl+Shift+X) and search for ROS

2- Install ( ROS VSCode Extension )

3- Restart VSCode

4- Make sure to open your workspace ex: file ->openfolder ->catkin_ws

5- The extension will pop up a msg to configure your ROS distro if it cants configure it automatically

6- Also you can use the terminal from VSCode (Ctrl+~) as usual ubuntu terminal

7- Build your catkin workspace at least once from this terminal

8- You can include <ros/ros.h> in your files and you shouldn't see green squiggle below if everything is configured properly.

9- At the left bottom of VSCode you will find [x ROS Master] that's mean ROS core is not running try to run $ roscore from the terminal in VSCode and notice [✔ ROS Master]

[Posting incase anyone needs help]

All these answers are fine, but this is what worked for me, and it was very easy. It is similar to amer's answer.

• Open VSCod
• Open your workspace ex: file ->openfolder ->catkin_ws

When you open the file you are working on it will have the squiggles. If you have the C++ extension, when you hover your mouse over the headers you should be able to "Edit "includePath" Settings" via the "Quick Fix" button. There may also be a pop up on the bottom right of your screen from intellisense to configure the file.

When you click this it will create a "c_cpp_properties.json" file in a ".vscode" directory within the workspace you are working in. The file should look like this:

{
"configurations": [
    {
        "name": "Linux",
        "includePath": [
            "${workspaceFolder}/**"
        ],
        "defines": [],
        "compilerPath": "/usr/bin/gcc",
        "cStandard": "c11",
        "cppStandard": "c++17",
        "intelliSenseMode": "linux-gcc-x64"
    }
],
"version": 4
}

All you need to do is add your distribution path to the "includePath" section. Your code should look something like this then.

...
"includePath": [
    "${workspaceFolder}/**",
    "/opt/ros/kinetic/**"
 ],
...

Adding the " * " just indicates recursive search. For example, ${workspaceFolder}/* will search through all subdirectories while ${workspaceFolder} will not.

If your Service created .h files are also not showing up then it's probably because you aren't in the top level of your workspace, or your .h file is outside of your workspace. You can add their file path the same way as above. You can find these service .h files in the catkin_ws/devel/include/Service_Name directory of the workspace they were created in.

The easiest setup for ROS with VS Code is to install this ROS extension, which handles normally pretty much everything automatically. More information:

• on github

• in this video

Cheers