Enable use of snippet variables in workbench.action.terminal.sendSequence

[fbehrens]

Hi :)

I would love to be able to use task variables to send snippets of code to my terminal.

{ "key": "ctrl+shift+t",
  "command": "workbench.action.terminal.sendSequence", 
  "args": { "text": ". ${file}" } 

I am developing all the time interactively with editing a file and fiddling in a REPL (in integrated Terminal) alongside, where I have my environment loaded. I edit a function, I load the file from the REPL, and then test it interactively.

The difference to Tasks is that I have state in the REPL. This then can be used for different languages with a simple configuration.

I have written a Sublime Plugin for this feature,
and I will write a Extension, according to your response.

Thanks for reading, and keep up the good work

[Tyriar]

@alexr00 any tips on leveraging task code to resolve this?

[alexr00]

Let me make sure I understand the request:

1. You set up your REPL with some state
2. You run the command above using your keybinding which causes the file you want to test to be loaded into the REPL.
3. You then want to run preset snippets of code in the REPL. This is the part where you want to use tasks variables to send preset code snippets to the REPL.

Is all that correct? If so, I think this can be accomplished with tasks in insiders.

There is now a third input type; command. #64362. I think you could use this to accomplish step three above by having a few different command input types that use the workbench.action.terminal.sendSequence command and has the snippet you want as an argument. You would need a separate task + command input variable for each snippet, I can't think of a way around that unless you write a simple extension.

You might need to make your task presentation reveal silent or never. I'm not sure how workbench.action.terminal.sendSequence will interact with the active terminal being one used by tasks.

[Tyriar]

@alexr00 the workbench.action.terminal.sendSequence commands lets you send data to any terminal (not just task ones), it basically lets users fake typing in without building an extension to do it. For example you could send ctrl+c or "ls" then enter. The request is just about supporting resolving the ${...} syntax as used within tasks in the workbench.action.terminal.sendSequence command.

The example keybinding:

{ "key": "ctrl+shift+t",
  "command": "workbench.action.terminal.sendSequence", 
  "args": { "text": ". ${file}" } 

Could be used to 'source' (run) the active file in the active terminal.

I mainly wanted to code pointer to where this variable resolution happens in tasks and/or debug so that a contributor could put a PR together and share the code.

[alexr00]

Variables are resolved here: https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/blob/f7f063bf4c76a15b4190e8dbc65c9ea6de859941/src/vs/workbench/services/configurationResolver/electron-browser/configurationResolverService.ts

[njkevlani]

@Tyriar
I'd love to help by implementing this feature if you guys would want me to :)

I think we need to handle snippets in code of sendSequence itself or is there any other way round?

[Tyriar]

@njkevlani you'll probably need to call this IConfigurationResolverService.resolve similar to how it's called on the environment:

https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/blob/ddd17d938ffcdc40158b845c9abc25dcc2978c7e/src/vs/workbench/parts/terminal/node/terminalEnvironment.ts#L84

And yes in the code for the sendSequence action.

[njkevlani]

@fbehrens you wanna work over this or can I take it?

[fbehrens]

@njkevlani Great ! You can take it.

[Tyriar]

@njkevlani 👌

[njkevlani]

This is a fairly simple task, and to implements this, I need to resolve (variables like ${file}, etc) the args.text before passing it to terminalInstance.sendText in SendSequenceTerminalCommand function.

I have a question,

To resolve a string I need to have an object of ConfigurationResolverService class or something that simply extends AbstractVariableResolverService.

How do I instantiate or pass such object to SendSequenceTerminalCommand function?

ping @Tyriar

[Tyriar]

@njkevlani you can use our dependency injection system like in this command:

https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/blob/4fe1cdc4df003911507e53a06ccfb261f68bce18/src/vs/workbench/parts/terminal/electron-browser/terminalActions.ts#L300-L302

[njkevlani]

@Tyriar

That works for classes which extend Action, I could not find such usage for some class which extends Command.

Probably It is because how the Commands are registered:

https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/blob/4fe1cdc4df003911507e53a06ccfb261f68bce18/src/vs/workbench/parts/terminal/electron-browser/terminal.contribution.ts#L515-L519

[Tyriar]

@njkevlani I think you should be able to convert it to an Action?

[njkevlani]

@Tyriar I thought exactly the same!! But could not find an example of an Action that takes something like args. Will do it if you could give some pointer to such specs.

[Tyriar]

@njkevlani ah I see, I guess that's why it's a Command 😃

Looks like a ServicesAccessor is passed into runCommand, you should be able to grab the service off that like this:

https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/blob/4fe1cdc4df003911507e53a06ccfb261f68bce18/src/vs/editor/browser/controller/coreCommands.ts#L1652-L1654

[njkevlani]

@Tyriar

It's working!!

Should auto completion be implemented? If yes, how do we kick in auto suggestions in keybinding.json?

[Tyriar]

@njkevlani great! I've never done that before so I'm not sure, also not sure if we support doing that in other keybindings (in which case it'd be a bunch of work). Let's do a PR without it to start with 😃

[fbehrens]

Works like a charm in insiders.

I have another edge case question concerning the feature, more about haw the task variables are resolved. Don't expect an answer, and hope it is OK to ask here.

On Windows ${file} is d:\scripts2\libwba\src\tools\environment.fs, but ${relativeFile} is src/tools/environment.fs . Is there a way to influence the path seperator (\ vs /) ?

[alexr00]

@fbehrens, no there isn't a way to influence the path separators. #38381 is the issue related to this.