Introducing VS CtrlR

For custom IoT application development, the F1 Starter Kit can be configured on the Microsoft Visual Studio Code IDE platform with the CtrlR Plugin.

You will need the latest version of Visual Studio Code to proceed, which can be downloaded and installed here.

Installing VS CtrlR Plugin

1. Launch Visual Studio Code and navigate to Extensions. Search for CtrlR and click Install.

   

2. Press the Reload button to complete the CtrlR Plugin installation.

Configuring F1 Starter Kit for CtrlR Plugin on your PC

1. Connect your F1 Starter Kit to your PC and turn it on (SW200 switch from OFF to ON). If it shows up as

• If your PC doesn’t have Silabs CP2102N Virtual COM port driver installed previously, an unknown device will be shown in your PC’s Device Manager.

• Download and install Virtual COM Port driver
• Upon installation of the driver, a new COM port should show up in your PC’s Device Manager.

• Go back to Visual Studio Code and ensure that the CtrlR Plugin has been correctly installed.

• Normally, your device will be auto-detected as shown above. If this does not work, click [List all devices] in the DEVICES window.

• If everything is correct, device detail will pop up when your mouse pointer is placed on the device:

• You then use the “Connect” button to connect VS Code with the device

• Next, you will be able to invoke a terminal, launch file explorer or disconnect with the device with the 3 buttons

• For instance, the terminal will let you interact with the device’s Micro Python REPL
• Invoke a simple command “os.uname()” will print the firmware version of your device

• While the file explorer will provide a drag-and-drop interface to view, add and edit the files within your device

Next Step

Program the Starter Kit to send your data to Ctrl platform.