cannot open source file "iostream". Please run the 'Select IntelliSense Configuration...' - #include errors detected. Please update your includePath

[JustinC333]

Environment

• VS Code Version: I have the most recent VSCode (Today is 11/19/24)
• C/C++ Extension Version: v1.22.11

Bug Summary and Steps to Reproduce

This problem popped up out of nowhere in the middle of October.

" cannot open source file "iostream". Please run the 'Select IntelliSense Configuration...' command to locate your system headers.C/C++(1696)"

I'm getting this error in all of my .cpp files.

I am on a MacBook Air btw and I have Clang version 16. The same problem happened on my PC, but I was able to fix that by following the instructions on the VSC website. But nothing seems to work for my Mac. Can some one please help?

I've tried clean uninstalling and reinstalling, changing the compiler path, and the Include path, and I've tried changing the "c_cpp_properties.json" file, but nothing seems to work. I've watched countless youtube videos trying to fix this issue but nothing seemed to work so far. I've spent at least 4+ hours trying to fix this :( .`

(I've included a simple code to show the problem)

(When I type in #include , usually the option for "iostream would pop up but it isn't even showing anymore)

Configuration and Logs

c_cpp_properties: 
{
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Mac",
            "includePath": [
                "${workspaceFolder}/**"
            ],
            "defines": [],
            "macFrameworkPath": [
                "/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/System/Library/Frameworks"
            ],
            "compilerPath": "/usr/bin/clang",
            "cStandard": "c17",
            "cppStandard": "c++17",
            "intelliSenseMode": "macos-clang-x64"
        }
    ],
    "version": 4
}

Other Extensions

No response

Additional context

No response

[sean-mcmanus]

@JustinC333 What version of the C/C++ extension are you using? 1.22.11 is the latest and 1.23.1 is the latest pre-release.

[JustinC333]

v1.22.11, I just checked @sean-mcmanus

[sean-mcmanus]

@JustinC333 Can you open a .cpp file and run C/C++: Log Diagnostics? The system includes paths should be printed and if you don't see c++ system include paths then it's possible they might not be installed.

It's also possible you may need to run the xcode-select command to switch to the correct system libraries that have C++ installed.

You might also try changing "compilerPath": "/usr/bin/clang", to "compilerPath": "/usr/bin/clang++",.

[JustinC333]

-------- Diagnostics - 11/19/2024, 2:53:52 PM
Version: 1.22.11
Current Configuration:
{
"name": "Mac",
"includePath": [
"/Users/justin.chiang/Documents/VSC/"
],
"defines": [],
"macFrameworkPath": [
"/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/System/Library/Frameworks"
],
"compilerPath": "/usr/bin/clang",
"cStandard": "c17",
"cppStandard": "c++17",
"intelliSenseMode": "macos-clang-x64",
"compilerPathIsExplicit": true,
"cStandardIsExplicit": true,
"cppStandardIsExplicit": true,
"intelliSenseModeIsExplicit": true,
"compilerPathInCppPropertiesJson": "/usr/bin/clang",
"mergeConfigurations": false,
"browse": {
"path": [
"/Users/justin.chiang/Documents/VSC/",
"${workspaceFolder}"
],
"limitSymbolsToIncludedHeaders": true
}
}
Additional Tracked Settings:
{
"editorTabSize": 4,
"editorInsertSpaces": true,
"editorAutoClosingBrackets": "languageDefined",
"filesEncoding": "utf8",
"filesAssociations": {},
"filesExclude": {
"/.git": true,
"/.svn": true,
"/.hg": true,
"/CVS": true,
"/.DS_Store": true,
"/Thumbs.db": true
},
"filesAutoSaveAfterDelay": false,
"editorInlayHintsEnabled": true,
"editorParameterHintsEnabled": true,
"searchExclude": {
"/node_modules": true,
"/bower_components": true,
"**/*.code-search": true
},
"workbenchSettingsEditor": "ui"
}
cpptools version (native): 1.22.11.0
Current database path: /Users/justin.chiang/Library/Caches/vscode-cpptools/b7d6a086ddd06d13e3b74937111de4d8/.browse.VC.db
Translation Unit Mappings:
[ /Users/justin.chiang/Documents/VSC/1. CS10B/1. Labs/Lab 1/main.cpp - source TU]:
Translation Unit Configurations:
[ /Users/justin.chiang/Documents/VSC/1. CS10B/1. Labs/Lab 1/main.cpp ]
Process ID: 12010
Memory Usage: 8 MB
Compiler Path: /usr/bin/clang
Includes:
System Includes:
/usr/local/include
/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/usr/include/c++/v1
/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/usr/lib/clang/16/include
/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/SDKs/MacOSX15.1.sdk/usr/include
/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/usr/include
Frameworks:
/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/SDKs/MacOSX15.1.sdk/System/Library/Frameworks
Standard Version: c++17
IntelliSense Mode: macos-clang-arm64
Other Flags:
--clang
--clang_version=170006
Total Memory Usage: 8 MB

------- Workspace parsing diagnostics -------
Number of files discovered (not excluded): 10029

@sean-mcmanus This is what it says when I ran C/C++: Log Diagnostics

[JustinC333]

and I also changed my Compiler path to /usr/bin/clang++ and it did not work

[sean-mcmanus]

@JustinC333 Did you run the C/C++: Select IntelliSense Configuration command from the command palette and select /usr/bin/clang++?

Your log diagnostics system includes seem correct to me.

What happens if you type #include <iostream> and then right-click and do Go to Definition on the iostream? Does a file open?

[JustinC333]

@sean-mcmanus
Sorry for the late message, but when I do the "Go To Definition", it just says "No definition found for iostream".

And yes, I've tried selecting /usr/bin/clang++ from the Configuration but nothing seemed to change