Build Linux Client

name	description
build_linux_client	Instructions for building the ASCII Linux client on Ubuntu/WSL and configuring remote debugging with Visual Studio Code.

👉 This skill provides instructions for compiling the legacy ASCII console version of GnollHack for Linux, and how to debug it using Visual Studio Code and WSL.

🐧 Building on Ubuntu/WSL

1. Prerequisites

• Ensure build-essential, bison, flex, and libncurses (libncurses5-dev, libncursesw5-dev) are installed on your Linux/WSL instance.
• Clone the GnollHack repository.

2. Configure the Build

1. Make the setup script executable: sudo chmod a+rx ./sys/unix/setup.sh
2. Run the setup script to generate the Makefile in the top-level directory:
   • For a standard debug build: sudo ./sys/unix/setup.sh ./sys/unix/hints/linux-debug
   • For a public server build (with common xlogfile): sudo ./sys/unix/setup.sh ./sys/unix/hints/linux-gnh-debug

3. Compile

1. Run sudo make install -B. This will compile GnollHack and install it to the /gnh directory.
2. Grant permissions to the install directory: cd /gnh and sudo chmod -R a+rw *.
3. Run the game: ./gnollhack

🐛 Debugging with Visual Studio Code

1. VS Code Setup

• Install Visual Studio Code on Windows.
• Install the WSL extension and the C/C++ extension.
• In WSL, run code to install the VS Code server.

2. WSL Root Configuration

Debugging typically requires root permissions to attach to the process.

1. In WSL, set a root password: sudo -i then passwd.
2. Open a Windows Command Prompt and set the default WSL user to root: ubuntu2004 config --default-user root (adjust the ubuntu command to match your installed version).

3. Debugging Session

1. Open VS Code and connect to the remote GnollHack folder in WSL.
2. Ensure the C/C++ extension is installed on the remote WSL (root) server.
3. Configure your launch.json to point to /gnh/gnollhack or the output executable.
4. Set breakpoints in the C code and start the debugging session.