Doubts about Lambda Functions and SAM/CLI on VSCode

Question

My current task is about implementing an automatic deployment of the already existing and manually created Lambda functions from my project. The idea is to use SAM-CLI instead of a github/gitlab repo, the repository itself would be stored in CodeCommit from AWS.

First, as a test, I created the ‘TesteSam’ function, without any input events or anything alike. Then, following this question’s answer (https://repost.aws/questions/QUaqVFhuGYQbqQ27Pi-n94oQ/update-existing-lambda-function-using-sam), I imported the Lambda function and the needed IAM role info to my “StackTesteSAM” Cloudformation stack. After concluding this step, I tried to run the “sam init” command with the functions code .zip (it had only a 'lambda_function.py' file - the one we can download from the console itself) but it didn’t work. I received a ‘does not include a top-level directory’ message error. I don’t know how to download all the folders that appear the same way as when you use a Quick Start Template instead. I’m stuck at this part. Also, I tried to run “sam deploy” with two existing yaml files: (i) one from the cloudformation stack file and (ii) one directly from the Lambda function console page. Both seem to work and generate an “.aws-sam” folder with some things inside (build, template…) when I build them, however, the code itself is not imported. I also can’t find a solution regarding it.

Can anyone help me? So my questions are divided into: a) How to successfully ‘download’ the lambda function from the console to my local VSCode directory and correctly init/build/deploy it? b) Is there any difference when applying “sam build” with the template directly from the stack or directly from the lambda function?

Ps.: I am newbie to AWS in general and do not have admin privileges.

I was expecting being able to deploy automatically my Lambda function using the sam commands.