This isn't working. In VSC at least, the (:debug) function is called regardless of running it with Start Debugging or not.
Is there a way to select in VSC if I run my code with the debug or release code blocks?
My desire is to compile a release edition with a smaller memory footprint, but run with the debug blocks in VSC when needed.
Thanks! That is GREAT. I can remove (:debug) code for release when I compile/build the .iq file for EXPORT using the -r flag. But in the sim it'll always use the (:debug) versions. There could be, I suppose, code path / logic issues with the debug code removed... so is there any way to tell the simulator to execute the "release" version - using (:release) annotations?
You haven't fully understood the comment you're replying to.
The -r flag is set automatically when your export your project to an IQ file. You don't have any say in the matter, it will happen no matter what you do. This is something that you would easily be able to see for yourself if you just look at the terminal window when you export a CIQ project.
You actually *cannot* build the debug version of your code when you export the project, as far as I know. (Unless you were to reverse-engineer the export procedure and run the individual steps yourself)
so is there any way to tell the simulator to execute the "release" version - using (:release) annotations?
You also haven't understood that the simulator simply executes what was built with the Monkey C: Build Current Project command. (If you run a project that has source code changes, the extension runs Build Current Project automatically.)
It's not a matter of 2 versions (release and debug) being built side-by-side and the simulator choosing to run one or the other, as you are implying here and in the OP. Build Current Project (which builds for the simulator, if you are following along), only ever builds one PRG, and by default, it builds the debug version of your app.
Have you ever looked in the bin\ folder of your project and noticed that it *doesn't* contain 2 PRGs at the same time, but only ever 1 PRG (unless you change your project name)? This is something that you could also have easily checked for yourself. How would the simulator choose between 2 hypothetical PRGs (debug and release) when there's only ever 1 PRG in the bin folder? Have you noticed that if there's no source code changes, the PRG *doesn't* get rebuilt when you run your project in the sim?
What needs to happen is you need to build the release version, and that's what will be run by the sim. Again, the sim just runs whatever you build. It doesn't know or care whether it's running the debug or release version of your code. I don't think you understood this nuance.
The simple solution to run the release version of your code in the sim is to temporarily add the "-r" flag to the compiler options. It's very strange that you mentioned you would do this for exporting a project (even though it's not necessary and has no effect), yet you completely missed the hint that you should do this for building a project normally, if you want to test your release code in the sim.
To be clear:
- CTRL-SHIFT-P > User Settings
- Add "-r" to Monkey C: Compiler Options
Since you already had the idea of using "-r" flag (but only for exporting), again this is something you could have easily tried for yourself, based on the hints that were already given. It's literally the same idea that you already had for exporting the project, but applied to running it in the sim.
Unless of course you had a stubborn assumption that there's absolutely nothing you can do to prevent the sim from running the debug version, in which case why would you be asking how to do it?
