This extension enables language support for the BlitzBasic language and extends the usage of the Blitz3D program and its blitzcc compiler. The ability to run programs and detect errors is supported on Windows only. Cross-platform Blitz3D versions are not supported yet, though most of the functionality is available on all platforms.

Note: This extension is in alpha phase. Bug-free experience cannot be guaranteed.

This update contains lots of bug fixes.

To see all the changes, check the changelog or the GitHub repository.

The extension provides the following functionalities:

• Syntax highlighting
• Semantic highlighting
• Basic IntelliSense suggestions
• Document symbols tree
• Signature help
• Usage of the built-in debugger GUI
• Added functionality for documentation
• Ability to set the default file to run in launch.json
• First compile error can be seen on every save
• Command for browsing the builtin code examples
• Basic document formatting

Note: The extension uses the Blitz3D default compiler for Windows. Due to its limitations, information of runtime errors cannot be extracted. This is not a loss of functionality as the default IDE behaves similarly.

BBDoc helps to write code more efficiently with some added keywords, without affecting compatibility.

The following keywords can be used in lines preceding function declarations:

• ;; followed by the documentation of the function
• ;;param followed by the name of a parameter and its description
• ;;author followed by the author of the function
• ;;return followed by the return value of the function
• ;;since followed by the version when the function was created

These keywords are interpreted as comments in standard blitz3d, but within vscode they are used to provide information on mouse hover or code completion. If there is no bbdoc for a function and the preceding line contains just a comment, that is parsed as description.

Use ;;TODO anywhere in the code to create a link for a task in vscode's problems window. This can be disabled in the extension settings.

Comments following global, local, const or field declarations are interpreted as descriptions, which are shown in code completion windows.

See contributed settings in the Feature Contributions tab.

• Variables might not be recognized when no explicit declaration is present
• Include files might not be recognized when filename is not explicitly specified or after using changedir
• Functions defined in userlibs without a decorated name are not highlighted in decls files
• Hangs and unexpected behaviour (without code loss) can be experienced rarely