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Getting Started

The BBj Language Server provides comprehensive IDE support for BBj development in Visual Studio Code. This guide will help you get up and running quickly.

Prerequisites​

Before installing the extension, ensure you have:

  • Visual Studio Code version 1.101.0 or higher
  • BBj version 25.00 or higher installed
  • BBj version 26.03 or higher for live compiler diagnostics (the compiler's own syntax errors appearing as you type, without saving) and for formatting and Denumber; an earlier BBj simply keeps the save-time compiler check
  • BBjServices running locally (required for full functionality; formatting and Denumber need it)
  • Java 17 or higher (for the Java interop service)

Installation​

From VS Code Marketplace​

  1. Open VS Code
  2. Go to the Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X or Cmd+Shift+X)
  3. Search for "BBj"
  4. Click Install on "BBj Programming Language Support"

Alternatively, install directly from the VS Code Marketplace.

From VSIX File​

If you have a .vsix file:

  1. Open VS Code
  2. Go to Extensions view
  3. Click the ... menu and select "Install from VSIX..."
  4. Select the downloaded .vsix file

Initial Configuration​

After installation, configure the extension to work with your BBj installation:

Enable BBj Language Service​

BBj 25.00 introduces a new server component, the BBj Language Service. You must enable it in Enterprise Manager:

  1. Open BBj Enterprise Manager
  2. Navigate to the server settings
  3. Enable the "BBj Language Service"

Enable BBj Language Service in Enterprise Manager

Setting BBj Home​

  1. Open VS Code Settings (Ctrl+, or Cmd+,)
  2. Search for "bbj.home"
  3. Set the path to your BBj installation directory (e.g., /opt/bbj or C:\bbj)

Alternatively, add to your settings.json:

{
  "bbj.home": "/path/to/bbj"
}

Configuring Classpath​

To enable Java class completions, configure the classpath:

{
  "bbj.classpath": "bbj_default"
}

The extension will automatically detect classpath entries from your BBj installation. Run the command "BBj: Show Available Classpath Entries" to see all available options.

To override the classpath and PREFIX directories for a single project, add a project.properties file to your workspace root. See project.properties in the Configuration guide for details.

Testing Your Setup​

  1. Create a new file with a .bbj extension
  2. Type some BBj code:
print "Hello, World!"
  1. You should see:
    • Syntax highlighting
    • Code completion suggestions when typing
    • Validation errors if any syntax issues exist

Running Your First Program​

With a .bbj file open:

  1. Press Alt+G to run as a GUI application
  2. Or press Alt+B to run as a BUI web application
  3. Or press Alt+D to run as a DWC application

You can also right-click in the editor and select the run option from the context menu.

Troubleshooting​

Language Server Not Starting​

If features like completion aren't working:

The language server starts when the first BBj file (.bbj or a BBj config file) opens in a window; a window with no BBj file does not start it.

  1. Check the Output panel (View > Output)
  2. Select "BBj" from the dropdown
  3. Look for error messages

Java Integration Not Working​

The language server connects to the Java interop service when it starts, and that requires:

  1. BBjServices to be running
  2. Proper bbj.home configuration
  3. Valid classpath configuration

The Java interop service manages Java class completions and method signatures automatically.

Next Steps​