Automate File Name Comments in VSCode

Introduction:

Ever waste time repeatedly adding file name comments in your VS Code projects? Automate file name comments with a VS Code extension and boost your workflow! This blog post dives into the process and explores the code behind the extension magic.

Understanding the Code: Automate File Name Comments

Let’s dissect the core functionalities of the VS Code extension responsible for automating file name comments. Here’s a breakdown of the key components:

1. Activation and Initialization:

import * as path from 'path';
import * as vscode from 'vscode';

export function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
  let lastFileName: string | undefined = undefined;
  const workspaceFolders = vscode.workspace.workspaceFolders;
  if (workspaceFolders) {
    const workspaceRoot = workspaceFolders[0].uri.fsPath;
    // ...
  }
}

The activate function is triggered when the extension is activated. It initializes variables and sets up event listeners.

2. Listening for Document Save Events:

// Register a listener for the "onWillSaveTextDocument" event
vscode.workspace.onWillSaveTextDocument((event: vscode.TextDocumentWillSaveEvent) => {
  const document = event.document;
  if (document.languageId === 'dart') {
    // ...
  }
});

Here, we register a listener for the onWillSaveTextDocument event, which is triggered just before a document is saved. We check if the document being saved is a Dart file (you can modify this section to target specific file types based on your needs).

3. Handling Document Modifications:

// Get the file name of the saved document
const fileName = relativePathFromLib(document.fileName);

// Create a commented-out version of the file name
const commentedFileName = `// ${fileName}`;

// Get the text at the beginning of the document
const firstLine = document.lineAt(0).text.trim();

// Check if the first line starts with "//" and ends with ".dart"
if (firstLine.startsWith('//') && firstLine.endsWith('.dart')) {
  // Replace the first line with the commented file name
  event.waitUntil(
    Promise.resolve([
      new vscode.TextEdit(
        new vscode.Range(
          new vscode.Position(0, 0),
          new vscode.Position(0, firstLine.length)
        ),
        commentedFileName
      ),
    ])
  );
} else {
  // ...
}

In this section, we handle modifications to the document just before it is saved. We calculate the relative file name, create a commented-out version, and check if the first line already contains a commented file name. If not, we insert the commented file name at the beginning of the document.

Conclusion:

Automating file name comments in VS Code can significantly improve your productivity and code readability. By understanding the inner workings of the VS Code extension code, you can customize and extend its functionality to suit your specific needs. Consider exploring similar extensions for other file types! Experiment with the code snippets provided in this post and enhance your coding experience in VS Code today!

Beyond VS Code: Leveraging File Name Comments in ChatGPT and Gemini

This VS Code extension for automated file name comments becomes even more powerful when combined with large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Gemini. Here’s why:

• Seamless Code Sharing: With the file name comment in place, you can easily copy and paste your code from VS Code directly into ChatGPT or Gemini. The LLM can then understand the context of your code based on the file name, making it easier to provide relevant explanations, and suggestions, or complete specific coding tasks.
• Improved Prompt Clarity: Clear and concise prompts are crucial when working with LLMs. The file name comment acts as an automatic label for your code snippet, providing essential context to the LLM without requiring additional explanation. This can streamline your workflow and expedite your interactions with ChatGPT and Gemini.

In essence, this VS Code extension lays the groundwork for smooth integration between your code editor and large language models, enhancing your coding efficiency and leveraging the power of AI for better results.

The code is available at https://github.com/alienfrenZyNo1/dartfilenamecommentor