ProbeMark

Traceable temporary debug probes for VS Code — insert with source context, preview them, and safely remove only the probes created by this extension.

Why ProbeMark?

Most log helpers make it easy to add logs. ProbeMark focuses on the full temporary-debug workflow:

• Insert language-aware debug probes with one shortcut
• Automatically attach file, line, and function context
• Mark generated probes with a visible probemark:auto marker
• Preview generated probes before removing them
• Remove only ProbeMark-generated probes, leaving hand-written logs untouched

Usage

Place the cursor on a variable name, or select an expression, then press the default shortcut:

ProbeMark detects the current file language and inserts a suitable debug statement on the next line with matching indentation.

Context prefix

Every inserted probe carries a context prefix that tells you where it was generated:

🧪 [FileName:LineNumber] FunctionName → variableName:

• FileName — basename of the source file
• LineNumber — frozen snapshot at insertion time; it does not auto-update
• FunctionName — detected via lightweight regex scanning; omitted if not found

Example:

console.log('🧪 [UserProfile.tsx:42] handleSubmit → userName:', userName); // probemark:auto

Safe marker-based cleanup

ProbeMark appends a language-specific marker to every generated probe:

// probemark:auto

# probemark:auto

Removal commands use this marker exclusively. They do not remove hand-written console.log, print, var_dump, fmt.Println, or business logging calls.

The marker is intentionally visible, grep-friendly, and easy to audit.

Commands

All removal commands show a QuickPick preview and require explicit confirmation before modifying files.

Supported languages

PHP note: var_dump does not use a separate label argument in this version, so variable probes do not include the context prefix. Default PHP probes still include context, for example var_dump('🧪 [File:Line] debug');.

Go note: ProbeMark inserts fmt.Println(...) but does not automatically add import "fmt". Make sure the import exists when needed.

Examples

JavaScript — cursor on userName inside handleSubmit

// Before
const handleSubmit = () => {
  const userName = 'Rose';
};

// After
const handleSubmit = () => {
  const userName = 'Rose';
  console.log('🧪 [UserProfile.tsx:42] handleSubmit → userName:', userName); // probemark:auto
};

JavaScript — default probe

console.log('🧪 [App.js:10] debug'); // probemark:auto

Python — cursor on name inside def greet

# Before
def greet():
    name = 'Rose'

# After
def greet():
    name = 'Rose'
    print('🧪 [greet.py:4] greet → name:', name)  # probemark:auto

Java — cursor on count inside handleCount

// Before
public void handleCount() {
    int count = 10;
}

// After
public void handleCount() {
    int count = 10;
    System.out.println("🧪 [Counter.java:3] handleCount → count: " + count); // probemark:auto
}

PHP — selected text $user

// Before
$user = getUser();

// After
$user = getUser();
var_dump($user); // probemark:auto

Go — selected text user inside func Process

// Before
func Process() {
    user := getUser()
}

// After
func Process() {
    user := getUser()
    fmt.Println("🧪 [process.go:5] Process → user:", user) // probemark:auto
}

Important caveats

• Line numbers are snapshots — the line number reflects the position at insertion time. It will not auto-update after edits.
• Function detection is heuristic — ProbeMark scans upward with lightweight regex patterns. It is not a parser. If no function is found, the prefix simply omits it.
• Only generated probes are removed — cleanup commands only remove lines containing probemark:auto.
• Hand-written logs are preserved — ordinary console.log, print, var_dump, fmt.Println, and business logging calls are not removed unless they contain the probemark:auto marker.
• PHP variables — if the selected text does not start with $, ProbeMark prepends $. If it already has $, it is kept as-is.
• PHP context limitation — variable probes use var_dump($value) in this version, so the context prefix is not included for PHP variable probes.
• Go imports — ProbeMark does not modify imports. If fmt is not imported, add import "fmt" manually.

Customising the shortcut

1. Open the Keyboard Shortcuts editor:
   • macOS: Cmd + K, then Cmd + S
   • Windows/Linux: Ctrl + K, then Ctrl + S
2. Search for ProbeMark.
3. Change the keybinding to your preferred shortcut.

Privacy

ProbeMark runs locally in VS Code.

• No network requests
• No telemetry
• No code upload
• No AI service dependency

Development

Install dependencies:

npm install

Compile the extension:

npm run compile

Run automated tests:

npm run test:unit
npm run test:integration
npm run test:regression

Run the full pre-publish check:

npm run prepublish:check

Launch the extension locally:

1. Open this project in VS Code.
2. Press F5.
3. A new Extension Development Host window will open.
4. Open a supported source file and run ProbeMark: Insert Debug Probe.

Release checklist

Before publishing a new version, verify:

• npm run compile passes
• npm run test:unit passes
• npm run test:integration passes
• npm run test:regression passes
• npm run prepublish:check passes
• Newly inserted probes use probemark:auto
• Cleanup commands remove only generated probes
• Hand-written logs remain untouched
• README examples match the actual generated output

License

MIT