Live Session Sharing

There are often scenarios where you need to be able to share a coding or debugging session with one or multiple users, to collaboratively work on the same issue or code when it is not possible to be physically together at the time.  Of course with Embedded development you also have the scenario where only one person has the hardware required at their location, which needs to be shared to work through an issue with a debugger, or to work on a feature which requires the I/O of the project to be realistic such as Sensor Calibrations.

Using the Live Share feature in Visual Studio 2019 allows you to share your session with up to 5 other interactive users, allowing you to all work on, and contol a shared session together.

 

Note Icon Note:

For this to work all users must be using Visual Studio 2019, and have a Live Account registered and signed in in their instance

 

Get Started

The below is a brief introduction, and all detail for all versions of Visual Studio are available from Microsoft.

Sharer:

  1. Load the Solution you wish to work on, and click on the Live Share button in the top right of the IDE
  2. This may give a Hint about allowing this application through your firewall, press OK
  3. If access through the firewall is requsted, press OK to confirm it is allowed
  4. A new "Live Share" window will appear in your IDE, and there will be a notification at the top of the IDE
  5. Click [More Info] to find out more detail, or just [Copy Link] to put the shared session link in your clipboard
  6. Share the link copied via Email / Skype (or another mechanism) with the team mates you wish to join the session
  7. Wait for them to join.....

Note Icon Note:

When the Sharer Disconnects the session, this will disconnect and close all other sessions joined by other users as well.

 

Joiners:

  1. Once you have the link, simply click on it.
  2. This will load a Web Page, and request to open a file with Visual Studio - press the "Open With Visual Studio" button to load the Shared VS
  3. Now you can also load any files or windows you wish in your session, as if you are on the Sharers machine

Note Icon Note:

All Users will have a "Live Share" Window showing who is connected to the session, and where each other are (file name) in the solution, as well as a Status indicator so you can show when each other are available or actively working on the solution.


Usage Features

Any user can focus all other users to where they need them in the code (Top Right > Sharing/Joined Drop Down by Account Name > Focus Participants)

Users can share the same Hardware Debugging session with their own Watch Expressions, and all having control over the Step / Continue actions, allowing you to debug a target board from anywhere in the world (See below for Serial Debugger as it cannot be shared at present).

 

What Cant I Share?

Output from vMicro Builds will not be shared with other users' output windows, and the vMicro Extension will only be activated correctly on the Sharers' Machine.

The vMicro Serial Monitor and Serial Debugging windows only connects on the Sharers' machine (assuming they have the hardware connected), and does not Share to other IDE windows.

 

Applications

Assisting a class mate or colleague with an issue or learning, as if you are with them

Distributed Development Teams can collaborate easily when resolving problems with the debugging tools, updating code, as well as reviewing code.

 

Further Information

Microsoft: Live Share for Visual Studio