copy button

[kemechial]

Type: Feature Request

I use other ai tools and want to be able to copy my code inside a file with a simple copy button just like I copy AI answers.

VS Code version: Code 1.98.2 (ddc367e, 2025-03-12T13:32:45.399Z)
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.19045
Modes:

[DonJayamanne]

Thank for filling this issue, I’m struggling to understand the feature request
Works you need same to perhaps share some screenshot or the like that would help me understand where you would like this button, or where such a button already exists

Also is this a feature request for vscode or copilot or the ai tool you are using?

[kemechial]

Thanks for the reply, I use other AI tools and as you know, someone copies the code given by AI with a copy button and pastes in his file, e.g. CHATGPT, so you copy it in your VScode file. But I asked for the other way round, that I copy my file content with a simple click so I copy it in the other AI tool so it can check or correct it for me, I know github copilot already does that but I need flexibility.

…

On Wed, Mar 26, 2025 at 10:18 AM Don Jayamanne ***@***.***> wrote: Thank for filling this issue, I’m struggling to understand the feature request Works you need same to perhaps share some screenshot or the like that would help me understand where you would like this button, or where such a button already exists Also is this a feature request for vscode or copilot or the ai tool you are using? — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#244702 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AB643BXSAXC5MMAMI5WGJN32WJIEZAVCNFSM6AAAAABZZNXLASVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZDONJTGQ2DGNJTG4> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***> [image: DonJayamanne]*DonJayamanne* left a comment (microsoft/vscode#244702) <#244702 (comment)> Thank for filling this issue, I’m struggling to understand the feature request Works you need same to perhaps share some screenshot or the like that would help me understand where you would like this button, or where such a button already exists Also is this a feature request for vscode or copilot or the ai tool you are using? — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#244702 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AB643BXSAXC5MMAMI5WGJN32WJIEZAVCNFSM6AAAAABZZNXLASVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZDONJTGQ2DGNJTG4> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[DonJayamanne]

So, you're requirement is to just have a single copy button that you can use to copy all of the code in a given file/editor.
Is that correct?

[kemechial]

Yes, that is correct. Just like in AI tools, how you can copy the answer, sometimes I need to copy my code from VSCode to some other AI tool. I have to do Ctrl + A and Ctrl + C. I looked for it but could not find a button.

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On Wed, Mar 26, 2025 at 2:14 PM Don Jayamanne ***@***.***> wrote: So, you're requirement is to just have a single copy button that you can use to copy all of the code in a given file/editor. Is that correct? — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#244702 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AB643BVWWKN4GST3G4KADFL2WKDZPAVCNFSM6AAAAABZZNXLASVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZDONJUGA2TANJYHA> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***> [image: DonJayamanne]*DonJayamanne* left a comment (microsoft/vscode#244702) <#244702 (comment)> So, you're requirement is to just have a single copy button that you can use to copy all of the code in a given file/editor. Is that correct? — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#244702 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AB643BVWWKN4GST3G4KADFL2WKDZPAVCNFSM6AAAAABZZNXLASVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZDONJUGA2TANJYHA> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[DonJayamanne]

Thank you for filing this issue,
I do not see us creating such a feature, as this isn't useful in the context of Copilot and other extensions either.
From your perspective, its useful to reduce mouse clicks to copy and paste the content into another tool.
Ideally if its integrated into VS Code, then that extension would be able to directly access the contents.

There might already be an extension in the marketplace
Here are some similar items that I could find
https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=iyulab.copy-text-selected-files

You can achieve this today by easily creating a VS Code extension that adds a toolbar to copy the contents of the active text editor.
You can use VS Code and Copilot to create such an extension to do this today.

• Run npx --package yo --package generator-code -- yo code . --extensionType=ts --extensionDisplayName="Copy Active Editor" --extensionDescription="Adds an icon to the editor toolbar to copy the contents of the active text editor." --pkgManager=npm in your terminal in an empty folder
• Hit enter to accept all the prompts in terminal
• Open copilot and run the prompt Modify this VS Code extension to add an icon to the editor toolbar to copy the contents of the active text editor
• Wait for copilot to make the changes
• You can now use this extension in VS Code to copy the code as required.

Here's the code & instructions to create such an extension
https://code.visualstudio.com/api/get-started/your-first-extension

package.json

{
  "name": "copy-active-editor",
  "displayName": "Copy Active Editor",
  "description": "Adds an icon to the editor toolbar to copy the contents of the active text editor.",
  "version": "0.0.1",
  "engines": {
    "vscode": "^1.98.0"
  },
  "categories": [
    "Other"
  ],
  "activationEvents": [],
  "main": "./out/extension.js",
  "contributes": {
    "commands": [
      {
        "command": "copy-active-editor.copyContent",
        "title": "Copy Active Editor Content"
      }
    ],
    "menus": {
      "editor/title": [
        {
          "command": "copy-active-editor.copyContent",
          "when": "editorTextFocus",
          "group": "navigation@1"
        }
      ]
    }
  },
  "scripts": {
    "vscode:prepublish": "npm run compile",
    "compile": "tsc -p ./",
    "watch": "tsc -watch -p ./",
    "pretest": "npm run compile && npm run lint",
    "lint": "eslint src",
    "test": "vscode-test"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "@types/vscode": "^1.98.0",
    "@types/mocha": "^10.0.10",
    "@types/node": "20.x",
    "@typescript-eslint/eslint-plugin": "^8.22.0",
    "@typescript-eslint/parser": "^8.22.0",
    "eslint": "^9.19.0",
    "typescript": "^5.7.3",
    "@vscode/test-cli": "^0.0.10",
    "@vscode/test-electron": "^2.4.1"
  }
}

extension.ts

import * as vscode from 'vscode';

export function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
    console.log('Congratulations, your extension "copy-active-editor" is now active!');

    const copyContentCommand = vscode.commands.registerCommand('copy-active-editor.copyContent', async () => {
        const editor = vscode.window.activeTextEditor;
        if (editor) {
            const content = editor.document.getText();
            await vscode.env.clipboard.writeText(content);
            vscode.window.showInformationMessage('Editor content copied to clipboard!');
        } else {
            vscode.window.showWarningMessage('No active editor found to copy content from.');
        }
    });
    context.subscriptions.push(copyContentCommand);
}

export function deactivate() {}

[kemechial]

Awesome, thanks!

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On Thu, Mar 27, 2025 at 2:07 AM Don Jayamanne ***@***.***> wrote: Closed #244702 <#244702> as completed. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#244702 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AB643BRLUPPIZFQ4W6DYW6T2WMXJLAVCNFSM6AAAAABZZNXLASVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV45UABCJFZXG5LFIV3GK3TUJZXXI2LGNFRWC5DJN5XDWMJXGAYDCMJZGI2DMMY> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>