Table of Contents
In order to get the license key for you free student version of C-Lion, you will need to apply for that license key. To do that, go to JetBrains and click on the ‘Apply Now’ button shown below:
Next, you will need to fill out the form using your @my.lanecc.edu email address. The screen is shown below:
Follow the instructions for opening the account, and when you log in to your JetBrains account you will see your license ID on your home page as well as a list of the products included.
From that homepage, locate the ‘Download’ dropdown and click on the link to show the dropdown menu. Once you can see the dropdown list click the ‘Download’ link to the right of CLion.
That will take you to the page showing options for downloading CLion. Click the ‘Download’ button shown below.
When the file has finished downloading, open the .exe file to begin installation. That will bring up the CLion Setup wizard shown below. Click on the ‘Next’ button.
Next, if you want to install in the default location currently populating the address bar then click ‘Next’. If you want to install in a different location, delete the location provided and enter a new location in its place and then click ‘Next’. The default location is shown below.
Next you will be given options to configure your CLion installation. Check the boxes to create associations and update the PATH variable. It is recommended that you also check the ‘Add “Open Folder as Project”’ box as well. Feel free to choose whether or not you would like to create a desktop shortcut, and if so check the box.
If you are curious about .cxx and .hxx files here is a link that talks about it.
The next step is also the last, where you choose the start menu folder in which to create the program’s shortcuts. Once that folder has been chosen, click ‘Install’ and you are almost done!
The last step in this process is a reboot, which you are warned about in the ‘Installation Options’.
Next Up: Setting up your CLion!
Now that you have restarted, open up your CLion application by double-clicking on the shortcut on your desktop (if you checked that box) or by going into your applications and opening it there.
Once you have the application open, you are going to set up your defaults. First, choose your preferred Theme – mine is Darcula.
Next we will choose the Version controls that you will use, so click on the customize link underneath ‘Version Controls’.
At the very least, you will want to have Git and GitHub checked. You can decide if you want to use other Version Controls or not.
After that you can click on ‘Save Changes and Go Back’ to go back to the previous menu.
You will want to leave the Web Development and Other Tools as they are, so go to the bottom of the screen and click on the ‘Next Featured Plugin’ button.
If you want, you can download additional language support for Vim, Lua, or Rust. If you want to know about Rust, ask Jacob Riddle!
If you do not, click on the ‘Start Using CLion’ button at the bottom. 
Next you will need to activate your CLion license. Open up a browser window, and go to Jetbrains Licenses
Now that you have just used your username and password, you can enter those into the username and password fields.
Next, you will need to Configure Toolchains. CLion does not have its own compiler, so you will have to link it to another compiler on your machine or download a compiler.
First, click on the ‘+’ button at the top left. It is circled in red in the image below.
Choose the MinGW option.
If you DO NOT have CodeBlocks already on your machine:
(If you have CodeBlocks, skip ahead to the prompt)
Next click on the ‘Download’ link that is circled in red in the image below.
It will redirect you to the MinGW page. Click on the green ‘Sourceforge’ link. This will immediately begin downloading.
When the file has downloaded, click on the file in the downloads bar.
When the file opens, it will pull up the MingW installer. Click ‘Next’.
Keep clicking ‘Next’.
Next you will pick the folder that you want to install the complier in and click ‘Next’ again. The compiler will then begin installation.
And once again click ‘Next’.
Then click ‘Finish’ and the installation of your compiler is complete.
Now you can go back to your CLion configuration and select your newly downloaded compiler in the Environment field. If you give it a few seconds the ‘Make’, ‘C Compiler’, and ‘C++ Compiler’ fields should automatically detect.
Congratulations! Click on ‘OK’ and you are all done!
If you HAVE CodeBlocks already on your machine:
Next click on the options button indicated by the 3 dots. It is circled in red in the image below.
Navigate to the folder where you installed CodeBlocks, and inside the CodeBlocks folder select the MinGW folder.
The compilers should auto-detect and will auto-populate the fields. If not, click on the dropdown arrow and choose to detect compilers.
Once the Toolchains are configured, click on the ‘Start Using CLion’ button at the bottom.
Your installation is complete! Congratulations!
