Blinter — VS Code Batch Linter

Blinter integrates the native Blinter executable into Visual Studio Code’s Run & Debug workflow so Windows batch files (.bat, .cmd) get live diagnostics, variable tracking, and actionable quick fixes while you iterate.

What it does

• Registers a blinter-debug debug type that launches the bundled blinter.exe and streams its output into VS Code.
• Parses stdout incrementally to keep the Problems panel, hover tooltips, and inline “stupid line” decorations in sync.
• Exposes a Blinter Output view in the Run & Debug sidebar that groups diagnostics (errors, warnings, undefined variables, etc.) and lets you jump straight to problem lines.
• Provides command-casing quick fixes (configurable) and detailed variable traces for undefined-variable diagnostics.

Requirements

• Visual Studio Code 1.75.0 or higher (stable or Insiders).
• Bundled native blinter.exe in bin/ (or bins/) inside the extension. The extension does not fall back to Python scripts.

Important third-party notice

This extension bundles the upstream Blinter linter (standalone executable) produced by the Blinter project (author: tboy1337). The bundled executable in this repository is bin/Blinter-v1.0.94.exe (Blinter v1.0.94). Blinter itself is licensed under the GNU AGPL-3.0 (AGPL-3.0-or-later). By bundling the executable we are redistributing AGPL-licensed code; please review the upstream license (https://github.com/tboy1337/Blinter) and ensure the AGPL obligations are acceptable for your distribution channel. The extension code (this repository) is released under the MIT license (see LICENSE).

Credits

• Blinter (core linter executable): tboy1337 — https://github.com/tboy1337/Blinter
• This VS Code integration and extension scaffolding: Blinter VS Code Extension contributors (see repository history / git log)

Quick start

1. Confirm bin/blinter.exe is included alongside the extension (already bundled in the published VSIX).
2. Open a workspace that contains the batch file you want to lint.
3. Open the Run & Debug view (Ctrl+Shift+D) and choose the Launch Batch (Blinter) configuration. If prompted, allow VS Code to create a launch.json using the snippet below.
4. Press Run (F5). Blinter runs immediately, populating the Problems panel, in-editor highlights, and the Blinter Output view.

Example launch.json entry:

{
  "version": "0.2.0",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "name": "Launch Batch (Blinter)",
      "type": "blinter-debug",
      "request": "launch",
      "program": "${file}"
    }
  ]
}

Settings

• blinter.enabled (boolean) – enable/disable the integration entirely.
• blinter.runOn ("onSave" | "onType") – keep the legacy background linting triggers if you prefer automatic runs outside of debugging.
• blinter.debounceDelay (number) – debounce (ms) for onType runs.
• blinter.rulesPath (string|null) – optional override for a custom rules JSON file.
• blinter.quickFixCodes (string[]) – diagnostic codes that should offer command-casing quick fixes.
• blinter.stupidHighlightColor (string) – hex color used for highlighted “stupid” lines during a debug session.

Output & troubleshooting

• View → Output → Blinter shows the exact command invocation, stdout, and stderr.
• If blinter.exe cannot be located, a warning is raised and the Output channel logs the lookup paths (bin/ or bins/). Copy the executable into one of those folders and rerun.
• Diagnostics clear automatically when a session ends; start a new Run & Debug session to refresh analysis.

Packaging & publishing

• Run build.bat to build a distributable VSIX. The script regenerates the icon assets and runs vsce package.
• See PACKAGING.md for end-to-end packaging guidance (including CI notes and artifact checks).

License

• MIT — see LICENSE.

Questions or feature requests? Open an issue or tweak the Blinter Output webview to suit your team’s workflow.