Overview

This guide outlines the standard procedure for initializing an STM32 project using STM32CubeMX with VSCode

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1. Project Initialization

Depending on your starting point, choose one of the two methods below:

Option A: New Project

1. Navigate to File > New Project.
2. Use the MCU/Board Selector to choose your specific hardware.

Option B: Import Existing Configuration (.ioc)

1. Navigate to File > Import Project.
2. Browse to and select your .ioc file path.
3. Click OK to load the existing configuration (default settings are recommended).

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2. Project Manager Configuration

Switch to the Project Manager tab and apply the following settings:

Setting	Selection
Project Name	Insert your project name
Application Structure	Advanced
Toolchain / IDE	CMake

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3. IOC configuration

IOC file configuration is entirely dependent on your use case. But here's an example:

Some common mistakes on IOC configuration: * Make sure to run the automatic clock configuration with the desired EXTERNAL crystal oscillator frequency. * If you don't do this, then the stm32 will just run off of its internal crystal. * Important if you are trying to use USB 2.0 high speed * Keep in mind the prescalars and baud rates for SPI/I2C and UART respectively. * 90% of the time for an error when trying to talk to a downstream device, like reading nothing or straight garbage, it's because your timing is wrong from these settings.

4. Code Generation

Before finalizing, ensure your settings match the configuration shown below:

1. Click GENERATE CODE in the top-right corner.
2. STM32CubeMX will generate the CMakeLists.txt and necessary HAL/LL drivers.

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4. VSCode Setup & Extensions

Once you click GENERATE CODE in CubeMX, transition to VSCode:

Required Extensions

• STM32 VS Code Extension (Official from STMicroelectronics)
• CMake Tools

Workspace Initialization

1. Open the generated project folder in VSCode.
2. In the bottom right notification, select "Open CMake project as STM32 Project".
3. Open the STM32 Cube Extension tab on the left sidebar.
4. Select your specific board/probe and save the configuration.

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5. Building the Project

To verify the initial C project: 1. Open the CMake extension tab. 2. Locate the "Run Task" pinned command (hover over the header to reveal the play button). 3. Select CMake: Build. 4. Ensure the terminal outputs: [driver] Build finished successfully.

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6. Upgrading to C++ & Custom Drivers

To support C++ development and include custom driver libraries (e.g., RocketDrivers), follow these steps:

File Structure Setup

1. Create Core/Src/main.cpp.
2. Create Core/Inc/cpp_main.h.
3. Create a folder named RocketDrivers in the root directory for your custom libraries.

Bridge C to C++

In main.c, wrap your C++ entry point to prevent linker errors:

C file

/* USER CODE BEGIN Includes */
#include "cpp_main.h"
/* USER CODE END Includes */

// ... inside main() function ...

/* USER CODE BEGIN 2 */
cpp_main();
/* USER CODE END 2 */

Cmake file

# 1. Enable CXX (C++) Support
enable_language(C ASM CXX)

# 2. Define your Chip Family (Example: STM32F1)
target_compile_definitions(${CMAKE_PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE STM32F1)

# 3. Recursive Driver Discovery
file(GLOB_RECURSE ALL_DRIVER_SOURCES 
    "RocketDrivers/*.c"
    "RocketDrivers/*.cc"
    "RocketDrivers/*.cpp"
)

# Find all directories containing headers in RocketDrivers
file(GLOB_RECURSE ALL_DRIVER_HEADERS "RocketDrivers/*.h")
set(ALL_DRIVER_INC_DIRS "")
foreach(_headerFile ${ALL_DRIVER_HEADERS})
    get_filename_component(_dir ${_headerFile} DIRECTORY)
    list(APPEND ALL_DRIVER_INC_DIRS ${_dir})
endforeach()
list(REMOVE_DUPLICATES ALL_DRIVER_INC_DIRS)

# 4. Add sources to executable
target_sources(${CMAKE_PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE
    ${ALL_DRIVER_SOURCES}
    Core/Src/main.cpp
)

# 5. Add include paths
target_include_directories(${CMAKE_PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE
    ${ALL_DRIVER_INC_DIRS}
)