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Configure your Windows Cloud Machine
Install Visual Studio Code, a few extensions, and Git for windows, Python, Azure Maps and Identity Python client libraries

Tutorial: Configure your Windows Cloud Machine

In this tutorial, you'll do the following:

  • Install Visual Studio Code and Extensions
  • Install Git for Windows
  • Install Python
  • Install Azure Client Libraries

You'll need a Raspberry Pi and Cloud developer set up in order to easily deploy Azure services and remotely code your device. This tutorial must be completed before any other tutorials.

Prerequisites

Install Visual Studio Code and Extensions

In this section you'll install Visual Studio (VS) Code and a few extensions. There are several benefits to using VS Code for developing applications for the Raspberry Pi and your Cloud applications:

  • Simple. VS Code is a single tool that provides a rich, and easily extended set of functionality that replaces several tools. For example, the terminal session in VS code also serves as a command prompt, a PowerShell scripting environment, a python scripting environment, a debugger, and many other tools.
  • Remote development. VS Code includes support for remote development, which allows you to develop applications on your local machine while remotely connected to your Raspberry Pi. This can be especially useful if you don't have access to a Raspberry Pi all the time, as you can still develop and test your applications remotely.
  • Debugging. VS Code includes a powerful debugger that allows you to set breakpoints, step through code, and inspect variables. This can be especially useful when developing applications for Raspberry Pi, as it can help you identify and fix issues more quickly.
  • IntelliSense. VS Code includes a feature called IntelliSense, which provides intelligent code completion and snippets. This can help speed up the development process by providing suggestions for code completion as you type.
  • Extensibility. VS Code is highly extensible, with a wide range of extensions available that can add additional functionality to the editor. You'll be adding several extensions to your VS Code environment. Extensions are useful when developing applications because they are tailored for the platform.
  • Code formatting. VS Code includes support for code formatting, which can help you keep your code organized and easy to read. This can be especially useful when working on large projects or when collaborating with other developers.

  1. Install Visual Studio Code for Windows. Allow Visual Studio Code to launch.

  2. From Visual Studio Code type ctrl-shift-x and install the following using the textbox to Search Extensions in Marketplace:

  • Remote Explorer, published by Microsoft
  • Python, published by Microsoft

  1. Within Visual Studio Code, open a PowerShell terminal session in administrative mode and run the following commands:

    Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Force

Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope LocalMachine -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Force

  2. Run the following commands from your PowerShell terminal session:

    Install-Module Az.Accounts
Install-Module Az.DeviceProvisioningServices

    For each module, reply Y or A when asked either question below:

    • Do you want PowerShellGet to install and import the NuGet provider now? Type Y.
    • Are you sure you want to install the modules from the 'MSGallery'? Type A.

Install Git for Windows

In this section you'll install GitHub and fork the repo, https://github.com/gobbyo, for your tutorial projects. A code fork is a separate copy of the repository, and any changes made to the fork do not affect the original repository.

Code branching, on the other hand, is the process of creating a separate branch within a repository to make changes to the code. A branch is a copy of the code at a particular point in time, and changes made to a branch do not affect the main branch until the changes are merged back into the main branch.

In contrast to forking and branching, directly checking code into the main branch means that the code is added to the main branch of the repository without being first tested or reviewed in a separate branch. Do not make a habit of checking code into the main branch, as it can lead to unstable code being deployed to the production environment. It is generally considered best practice to test and review code changes in a separate branch before merging them into the main branch.

In summary, code forking creates a separate copy of a repository, while code branching creates a separate branch within a repository. Directly checking code into the main branch is discouraged and bypasses the review and testing process that is recommended for code changes. There are several benefits to forking code in these tutorials:

  • Customization. By forking code, you can customize the sample code. For example, in several tutorials there are "Explore More" sections where you explore making changes to add new features or modify the existing features.
  • Collaboration. Code works differently across operating systems like Windows and your Raspberry Pi. Forking code facilitates collaborating between your Cloud Machine and your Raspberry Pi while working on the same project. For example, while remotely connected to your Raspberry Pi, you might make changes to the message listener on your device, while on your Windows Cloud machines you'll make changes to the way the message is being sent. The changes can then be merged back into your own fork.
  • Experimentation. Forking code allows you to experiment with different approaches or solutions to a problem, without affecting the main codebase. This can be especially useful for testing concepts as you move through these tutorials.
  • Community involvement. By forking code, you can contribute to our open-source project and become more involved in the community. For example, you can submit a pull request to have your changes merged into the main codebase should you find an error in the code or documentation.
  • Learning. Forking code can be a great way for you to learn about IoT and approaches to solving problems. By working on a codebase and making changes, you can gain valuable experience and improve your skills.

  1. Open a browser session in your Windows machine and download the git for windows installer.

  2. Run the installer, accepting the default settings. When you arrive at the screen Choosing the default editor used by Git, choose Use Visual Studio Code as Git's default editor from the dropdown selection, then continue accepting the default settings until finished.

  3. Close and open Visual Studio Code.

  4. Open Visual Studio Code. Select Terminal > New Terminal from the menu.

  5. Create a directory for cloned sample code and change to your new directory,

    mkdir c:\repos
cd c:\repos

    For example,

    PS C:\> mkdir c:\repos
PS C:\> cd c:\repos
PS C:\repos>

  6. Fork the repo from https://github.com/gobbyo.

  7. Run the following script from your terminal session in Visual Studio Code:

    git clone https://github.com/{your-fork}/IoT.git

    For example,

    PS > git clone https://github.com/{your-fork}/IoT.git
Cloning into 'IoT'...
remote: Enumerating objects: 250, done.
remote: Counting objects: 100% (250/250), done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (160/160), done.
Receiving objects: 100% (250/250), 5.95 MiB | 20.18 MiB/s, done.
Resolving deltas: 100% (105/105), done.13 (delta 72), pack-reused 0

  8. Select File > Open Folder... from the menu in Visual Studio Code and select your forked cloned directory IoT. The IoT directory will also be referred to as your root clone directory throughout these tutorials. Note that you'll have to clone your fork to your cloud machine as well as to your Raspberry Pi (in a later tutorial).

Install Python

In this section you'll install Python into your Windows Cloud Machine. You'll use your Windows Cloud Machine to develop and code applications for your Raspberry Pi. There are several benefits to using Python to code for the Raspberry Pi:

  • Ease of use. Python is known for being easy to read and write, which can make it an ideal choice for beginners or for projects where simplicity is a priority.
  • Wide range of libraries. Python has a large and active community, which has developed a wide range of libraries for IoT purposes. These libraries can be easily imported and used in Python programs, which can save time and effort when developing applications for the Raspberry Pi.
  • Extensive documentation. Python has extensive documentation, including tutorials and examples, which can be helpful for learning the language and for developing applications for the Raspberry Pi.
  • Compatibility with Raspberry Pi hardware. Python is well-suited for interacting with the hardware on the Raspberry Pi, including the GPIO pins and sensors. There are also a number of libraries available that make it easy to control the hardware on the Raspberry Pi using Python.
  • Community support. There is a large and active community of Python developers, which can be a useful resource for getting help or finding solutions to problems when developing applications for the Raspberry Pi.

  1. Open a browser window and install python. Be sure to check the box Use admin privileges when installing py.exe and Add python.exe to PATH at the start of the install, then select Install Now. At the end of the install select the Disable path length limit, then select the close button.

  2. From Visual Studio Code, select the View > Command Pallette.. menu, type the following in the command pallette text box:

    # Item Comment
    1 Python: Create Environment Creates a Python virtual environment
    2 venv to create a virtual environment See https://docs.python.org/3/tutorial/venv.html
    3 Select the recommended Python interpreter There may be multiple interpreters if you are installing on your own machine and have used Python in the past

Install Azure Client Libraries

In this section you'll install the Azure Client Libraries. Azure client libraries are needed to create IoT applications because they provide a set of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) that allow you to interact with the Azure IoT services. These libraries make it easy to integrate Azure IoT functionality into an application, such as sending data to the cloud, receiving commands from the cloud, and authenticating devices. Some of the benefits of using Azure client libraries to create IoT applications include:

  • Simplicity. Azure client libraries provide a simple and easy-to-use interface for interacting with Azure IoT services, which can save time and effort when developing IoT applications.
  • Consistency. Azure client libraries are designed to be consistent across different platforms and languages, which can make it easier to develop IoT applications that run on multiple platforms or that use different programming languages.
  • Reliability. Azure client libraries are regularly updated and tested, which can help ensure that they are reliable and robust when used in IoT applications.
  • Security. Azure client libraries include support for secure communication between devices and the cloud, which is important for ensuring the security of IoT applications.

Overall, Azure client libraries are an essential tool for developers who want to create IoT applications using Azure IoT services, as they provide a convenient and reliable way to interact with these services and take advantage of their capabilities.

  1. From Visual Studio Code, select the Terminal > New Terminal... menu. In the powershell terminal session you should see the following,

    Windows PowerShell
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Install the latest PowerShell for new features and improvements! https://aka.ms/PSWindows        

PS C:\repos\IoT> & c:/repos/IoT/.venv/Scripts/Activate.ps1
(.venv) PS C:\repos\IoT>

  2. Install the Azure IoT device client package by running the following python script in your terminal session:

    pip install azure-iot-device

  3. Install the Azure Identity client library by running the following python script in your terminal session:

    pip install azure-identity

Test Your Python Installation

  1. From your Visual Studio Code terminal session, change the GitHub forked clone directory from IoT to python directory. Type python and hit the return key.

    PS C:\repos\IoT> python

    For example,

    PS C:\repos\IoT> cd python
(.venv) PS C:\repos\IoT> python
Python 3.11.0 (main, Oct 24 2022, 18:26:48) [MSC v.1933 64 bit (AMD64)] on win32
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>>

  2. Verify your python terminal session

    print("Hello World!")

    For example,

    >>> print("Hello World")
>>> Hello World
>>>

  3. Type exit() to exit the python script environment. For example,

    >>> exit()
(.venv) PS C:\repos\IoT\python>

Resources

Be sure to read more about the following code and concept references you used in this tutorial.

Next Steps

Tutorial: Deploy an Azure IoT Hub