Macros

Brings simple, powerful custom macros support to VS Code. Made with <3 by geddski

See also Level up your Coding with Macros

Create Custom Macros

Create your own custom macros by adding them to your settings.json (Code|File > Preferences > User Settings)

For example:

"macros": {
    "commentDown": [
        "editor.action.copyLinesDownAction",
        "cursorUp",
        "editor.action.addCommentLine",
        "cursorDown"
    ]
}

This macro creates a copy of the current line, comments out the original line, and moves the cursor down to the copy.

Your macros can run any built-in VS Code action, and even actions from other extensions. To see all the names of possible actions VS Code can run, see Default Keyboard Shortcuts (Code|File > Preferences > Keyboard Shortcuts)

Give your macros names that briefly describe what they do.

Add Keybindings to Run your Macros

in keybindings.json (Code|File > Preferences > Keyboard Shortcuts) add bindings to your macros:

{
  "key": "ctrl+cmd+/",
  "command": "macros.commentDown"
}

Notice that macros.my_macro_name has to match what you named your macro.

Passing Arguments to Commands

Many commands accept arguments, like the "type" command which lets you insert text into the editor. For these cases use an object instead of a string when specifying the command to call in your settings.json:

"macros": {
  "addSemicolon": [
    "cursorEnd",
      {"command": "type", "args": {"text": ";"}}
  ]
}

Executing Snippets as part of a Macro

Macros can also execute any of your snippets which is super neat. Just insert the same text that you would normally type for the snippet, followed by the insertSnippet command:

"macros": {
  "doMySnippet": [
    {"command": "type", "args": {"text": "mySnippetPrefixHere"}},
    "insertSnippet"
  ]
}

So for example I have a JavaScript snippet for logging an object (javascript.json):

{
  "Print object to console": {
		"prefix": "con",
		"body": [
			"console.log('$1', $1);$2"
		],
		"description": "console.log an object"
	}
}

And I have a macro that will select the word at my cursor, copy it, drop to a new line, and run that snippet to log the variable:

editor.action.addSelectionToNextFindMatch

"macros": {
  "logCurrentVariable": [
    "editor.action.addSelectionToNextFindMatch",
    "problems.action.copy",
    
      {"command": "type", "args": {"text": "con"}}
  ]
}

License

MIT

Known Issues

Doesn't currently add macros to command pallete (have to use keybindings).

Release Notes

1.0.0

Initial release of Macros