Skip to main content

Installation

Flint has two components: the Flint for Ignition VS Code extension, and the Flint Designer Bridge Ignition module. The extension works on its own for browsing and editing project files on disk; installing the module unlocks live Designer and gateway features such as the Script Console, debugger, tag browser, and gateway-backed language server.

Prerequisites

The extension itself works offline against projects on disk. The Designer Bridge module requires access to an Ignition gateway where you can install modules.

  • VS Code 1.102 or later
  • Ignition gateway 8.1.44+ or 8.3.1+ with the Perspective module
  • Ignition projects on disk — a folder of project directories in the standard gateway layout (data/projects/<project>/), where each project directory contains a project.json file

Install the VS Code extension​

  1. Open VS Code and go to the Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X).
  2. Search for Flint for Ignition.
  3. Install the extension published by Keith-gamble (Keith-gamble.ignition-flint).

Or install from the command line:

code --install-extension Keith-gamble.ignition-flint

From a .vsix file​

Every release also attaches a .vsix package to its GitHub release. To install it, open the Extensions view, click the ... menu, choose Install from VSIX..., and select the downloaded file.

note

The extension bundles everything it needs, including the language server proxy used for gateway-backed language features. There is no separate binary to install; the flint.languageServer.proxyPath setting exists only as an advanced override.

Install the Designer Bridge module​

The module is distributed from GitHub Releases. Each release ships two artifacts — one per Ignition major line. Download the one that matches your gateway:

ArtifactIgnition versionMinimum
Flint-Designer-Bridge-<version>-8.1.modlIgnition 8.18.1.44
Flint-Designer-Bridge-<version>-8.3.modlIgnition 8.38.3.1

The two builds are not interchangeable — a .modl built for one major line will not load on the other.

To install:

  1. Open the gateway web interface and go to Config → Modules.
  2. Click Install or Upgrade a Module.
  3. Upload the downloaded .modl file and accept the license.

The module is free (no activation) and MIT-licensed. Release artifacts are code-signed, so you do not need to enable the gateway's unsigned-module setting.

The module has three scopes (Gateway, Designer, Common). Nothing needs to be installed in the Designer separately — the Designer picks up the module from the gateway the next time it launches.

Upgrading from 0.13.x or earlier

Version 1.0.0 changed the module ID from com.bwdesigngroup.flint-designer-bridge to dev.bwdesigngroup.flint.FlintDesignerBridge. If your gateway has a Flint module at version 0.13.x or earlier, uninstall the old module first, then install the new one. Installing the new .modl over the old one leaves two copies of the module on the gateway.

note

The module declares a dependency on the Perspective module. Perspective-specific features (session inspection, view profiling) require Perspective to be running on the gateway.

Verify the installation​

  1. In the gateway web interface, check Config → Modules — Flint Designer Bridge should be listed as running.
  2. In VS Code, open a folder that contains your Ignition projects. The Flint project browser appears in the activity bar and offers a Get Started button when no configuration exists yet.

Next steps​

  • Quick start — run the setup wizard to create flint.config.json and browse your first project.
  • Connecting a Designer — launch the Designer and let Flint auto-discover the live bridge connection.
  • Module overview — what the Designer Bridge module provides and how it works.