This is a random List of Tools and Tips that might be useful for Students in my classes the first Semester. It is work in progress and will be updated as we go.

Topics

• Topics
• VSCode
  • Java Extension Pack
  • HexEditor
  • XML and YAML
• Git
  • Mutliple Identities - eMail Addresses
  • macOS notes
  • use ssh for login

VSCode

As a general purpose editor, I recommend Visual Studio Code. It is free, open-source, and runs on all platforms.

To add VSCode to your PATH (the path that the OS follows to find all tools usable on the command line), you can use the Shell Command: Install 'code' command in PATH command from the Command Palette (⌘-shift-p, cmd-shift-p), as described in the documentation.

You can then use VSCode from the command line like this:

code myproject
or 
code . (points to the current directory)
etc. 

Java Extension Pack

To Use Java in VSCode, you can install the Java Extension Pack from the Marketplace. This is a Meta-Pack from Microsoft that includes the most important Java Extensions for VSCode, including Language Support be RedHat.

HexEditor

Sometime, especially in the first semesster, it is useful to look at Files in HEX mode. For this you should install the HexEditor Extension from the Marketplace.

XML and YAML

XML and YAML are important Data Formats for various stuff in this Semester. To get a good support for these formats, you can install the XML and YAML Extensions from the Marketplace.

Git

Mutliple Identities - eMail Addresses

For student struggling with their identity 😅 in Git, e.g. because they are working in different companies, they can use the power of zhs on Unix Systems as macOS or Linux.

To easily switch between different Git Identities, you can put an alias in your ~/.zshrc file like this:

alias gitzhawuser='git config user.email "scmy@zhaw.ch"'
alias gitcompanyuser='git config user.email "bla@coop.ch"' # or whatever you work 

Note: ~ is a shortcut for your home directory, e.g. /Users/rschumm on macOS.

You can use it on your command line within a repo to set your email on it:

gitzhawuser

Note: with git config --get user.email you can check your current email address.

You can find more of my Git Tips in my Cheat Sheet git

macOS notes

Add macOS keychain (Schlüsselbund, ab macOS 15: Passwörter) as a credential helper for git:

git config --global credential.helper osxkeychain

use ssh for login

If you have trouble with your zhaw password, you can add your public ssh key to github SSH and GPG keys settings.

If you don’t have keys yet, follow those steps:

generate a key in ~/.ssh, you can leave the password empty.

ssh-keygen 

if you want to be super secure, you can set a password, though.

change password:

ssh-keygen -p

add this identidy (key) to the ssh-agent:

ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa

debug:

ssh-add --apple-use-keychain ~/.ssh/id_rsa
ssh-add l