How to properly set up TidalCycles for use in VSCode?

This checklist outlines the steps required to set up a complete TidalCycles live-coding environment, ensuring proper integration between TidalCycles, SuperCollider, and VS Code:

1. Install Git for Windows (https://git-scm.com/downloads/win).

2. Install SuperCollider (https://supercollider.github.io/downloads.html).

3. Install SC3-Plugins for SuperCollider (https://github.com/supercollider/sc3-plugins/releases).

4. Install SuperDirt via SuperCollider Quarks: Quarks.install("SuperDirt");

5. Configure SuperCollider startup.scd to auto-boot SuperDirt: Open SuperCollider, navigate to File > Open startup file, paste the following script and save it:

/*
This is an example startup file.
If you want to modify it, best copy it elsewhere to keep the git repository clean.

You can then load it by calling
"path/to/my/superdirt_startup.scd".load
from the supercollider startup file

The supercollider startup file is to be found in
Platform.userAppSupportDir +/+ "startup.scd",
or via the menu File > Open startup file
*/


(
s.reboot { // server options are only updated on reboot
    // configure the sound server: here you could add hardware specific options
    // see http://doc.sccode.org/Classes/ServerOptions.html
    s.options.numBuffers = 1024 * 256; // increase this if you need to load more samples
    s.options.memSize = 8192 * 32; // increase this if you get "alloc failed" messages
    s.options.numWireBufs = 2048; // increase this if you get "exceeded number of interconnect buffers" messages
    s.options.maxNodes = 1024 * 32; // increase this if you are getting drop outs and the message "too many nodes"
    s.options.numOutputBusChannels = 2; // set this to your hardware output channel size, if necessary
    s.options.numInputBusChannels = 2; // set this to your hardware output channel size, if necessary
    // boot the server and start SuperDirt
    s.waitForBoot {
        ~dirt.stop; // stop any old ones, avoid duplicate dirt (if it is nil, this won't do anything)
        ~dirt = SuperDirt(2, s); // two output channels, increase if you want to pan across more channels
        s.sync; // remove annoying WARNING: Remote server failed to respond to rtMemoryStatus!
        ~dirt.loadSoundFiles;    // load samples (path containing a wildcard can be passed in)
        // for example: ~dirt.loadSoundFiles("/Users/myUserName/Dirt/samples/*");
        ~dirt.start(57120, 0 ! 12);    // start listening on port 57120, create two busses each sending audio to channel 0
        SuperDirt.default = ~dirt; // make this instance available in sclang (optional)

        // optional, needed for convenient access from sclang:
        (
            ~d1 = ~dirt.orbits[0]; ~d2 = ~dirt.orbits[1]; ~d3 = ~dirt.orbits[2];
            ~d4 = ~dirt.orbits[3]; ~d5 = ~dirt.orbits[4]; ~d6 = ~dirt.orbits[5];
            ~d7 = ~dirt.orbits[6]; ~d8 = ~dirt.orbits[7]; ~d9 = ~dirt.orbits[8];
            ~d10 = ~dirt.orbits[9]; ~d11 = ~dirt.orbits[10]; ~d12 = ~dirt.orbits[11];
        );

        // directly below here, in your own copy of this file, you could add further code that you want to call on startup
        // this makes sure the server and ~dirt are running
        // you can keep this separate and make it easier to switch between setups
        // by using "path/to/my/file.scd".load and if necessary commenting out different load statements
        // ...

    };

    s.latency = 0.3; // increase this if you get "late" messages


};
);

6. Install Haskell toolchain (https://www.haskell.org/ghcup/). It is assumed here that the installation root is D:\. Adjust paths if installed elsewhere. When running the installer, Cabal is required; other components are optional.

7. Install TidalCycles library in PowerShell: cabal install --lib tidal

8. Create a .ps1 file with the following contents and run it with PowerShell to register Tidal with GHC. Adjust $pkgDb and $ghcPkg paths accordingly:

# This script first clears the GHC user package database of all packages 
# (which removes duplicates and conflicts) and then re-registers all 
# configuration files found in the Cabal store.

$pkgDb = "D:\cabal\store\ghc-9.6.7\package.db"
$ghcPkg = "D:\ghcup\ghc\9.6.7\bin\ghc-pkg.exe"

Write-Host "--- 1. Listing and UNREGISTERING all existing user packages ---"

# 1a. Get a list of all package IDs in the user database.
# We capture the output string and use the -split operator to reliably 
# create an array of individual IDs separated by whitespace.
$packagesString = & $ghcPkg list --user --simple-output
$packagesToUnregister = $packagesString -split '\s+' | Where-Object { $_ }

# 1b. Iterate through the list and unregister each one
if ($packagesToUnregister.Count -gt 0) {
    foreach ($pkgId in $packagesToUnregister) {
        Write-Host "Unregistering: $pkgId"
        # Unregister each package one by one. --force is essential here.
        # Errors (which are common during cleanup) are suppressed using Out-Null.
        & $ghcPkg unregister $pkgId --user --force | Out-Null
    }
    # 1c. Rerun recache after cleanup to finalize the empty state
    Write-Host "Recaching database after unregistration..."
    & $ghcPkg recache --user
} else {
    Write-Host "User package database is already empty."
}

Write-Host ""
Write-Host "--- 2. Registering all Cabal store packages with updated metadata ---"

# This step re-registers all configuration files (.conf) found in the Cabal store.
# Since we cleared the registry above, this ensures a clean, single entry for each package.
Get-ChildItem -Path $pkgDb -Filter *.conf | ForEach-Object {
    Write-Host "Registering package:" $_.FullName
    & $ghcPkg --user register --force $_.FullName
}

Write-Host ""
Write-Host "--- Registration complete. Your package database is now clean. ---"
Write-Host "Press any key to exit." -NoNewline
[void][System.Console]::ReadKey($true)

9. Install the TidalCycles for VSCode extension from the Marketplace. (Optional) Also consider installing the Haskell Syntax Highlighting Support extension for better file recognition.

10. Configure VSCode Settings (JSON): Add the following configuration to your settings.json to set the GHCi executable path and associate .tidal files with Haskell syntax highlighting:

"tidalcycles.ghciPath": "D:\\ghcup\\ghc\\9.6.7\\bin",
"files.associations": {
    "*.tidal": "haskell"
}

11. Test Setup: Launch SuperCollider, open a new .tidal file in VS Code, and evaluate the following code with Shift+Enter:

d1 $ slow 9 $ n (run 9) # s "fm"

If you hear a beat, the setup is complete.