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💻 VS Code Remote Development

Introduction​

This tutorial will guide you through the process of installing Visual Studio Code, setting up the Remote - SSH extension, and connecting to a remote B&R Automation X20 Edge device.

Step 1: Installing Visual Studio Code​

  1. Download VS Code
    Go to the Visual Studio Code website and download the version suitable for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux).

  2. Install VS Code
    Follow the installation instructions for your specific operating system. For Windows, this generally involves running the downloaded installer. For macOS and Linux, follow the respective setup instructions.

Step 2: Installing the Remote - SSH Extension​

  1. Open VS Code
    Launch Visual Studio Code after installation.

  2. Install extensions
    Click on the Extensions icon in the Activity Bar on the side of the window or press Ctrl+Shift+X to open the Extensions view.

    Install the following remote extensions:

    Remote extenstion vs code

    Install the docker extension:

    Docker extension vs code

Step 3: Connecting to a X20 Edge Device​

  1. Open Remote Explorer
    In the Activity Bar, click on the Remote Explorer icon. This is usually a monitor icon with a connector.

    Remote explorer

  2. Add a New SSH Target
    Click on the + button next to SSH Targets, or use the Add New option.

    Remote explorer add

    Enter the SSH connection details for your X20 Edge device. The format should be:
    ssh <user>@<hostname>
    For example:
    ssh admin@192.168.1.1

  3. Configure SSH
    VS Code will prompt you to select the SSH configuration file to save the new connection. Choose the appropriate file (~/.ssh/config on Linux/macOS or C:\Users\<your-username>\.ssh\config on Windows).

    After this step, you might be asked to select the SSH key file or to enter your password if you have not set up key-based authentication.

  4. Connect to the Device
    After adding the SSH target, click on the newly added target from the Remote Explorer list to initiate the connection.

    Connect new

    Enter the password of the user.

    Connect new password

  5. Open Folder on Remote
    Once connected, you can click on the file icon shown with the red arrow and then click Open Folder and select the folder on the X20 Edge you want to view.

    Open folder

  6. View Docker containers and images To view docker containers running on the X20 edge you can install the docker extension. This has to be done after connecting to the device as described in step 5.

    Open folder

    You can click on the docker icon in the left menu bar to view running containers and available images.

    Open folder

    Right clicking on a container gives you the option to view logs from that container and attach a shell to get terminal access into that container for debugging.

  7. Open terminal You can open a SSH terminal on the X20 edge by clicking on Terminal->New Terminal.

    Open folder

Conclusion​

You have now successfully installed Visual Studio Code, set up the Remote - SSH extension, and connected to your B&R Automation X20 Edge device. You can now begin developing and managing your PLC programs remotely.

For more information and advanced configurations, refer to the Remote - SSH documentation and the B&R Automation documentation.