SPTools

Helps developers (especially front end) to work on remote SharePoint sites using Visual Studio Code.

Install

ext install SPTools

Extension settings

These are your extension settings (refer to the description property for more details):

"sptools.workFolder": {
	"type": "string",
	"default": "$home",
	"description": "Path to your top level work folder. Default to home/sptools (cross platform)."
},
"sptools.spFolders": {
	"type": "array",
	"default": [
		"/_catalogs/masterpage/sptools",
		"/style library/en-us/themable/sptools"
	],
	"description": "Folders to be fetched from SharePoint sites. Use server relative paths."
},
"sptools.storeCredentials": {
	"type": "boolean",
	"default": true,
	"description": "Set to false if you don't want credentials to be cached."
},
"sptools.checkInComment": {
	"type": "string",
	"default": "From SPTools for VS Code",
	"description": "Your check in comment."
}

To override them, specify your own values in File > Preferences then either User Settings or Workspace Settings.

It's a good idea to set your own SharePoint folders list, the default ones will probably not exist on your sites.

Default project folder (sptools.workFolder)

By default, the local work folder will be home/sptools :

• C:\Users\username\sptools on Windows
• /Users/username/sptools on OSX

Folders creation

Please keep in mind that any non existing folder used in the config will be created, specifically the working folder sptools.workFolder.

spconfig.json

This is a workspace specific config file, created automatically at the root of the workspace when using the SPTools: Init command.

For now it only stores the SharePoint site URL and you don't need to touch it.

Commands

Most of the commands below run their own checks and suggest any recommended actions.

Example: You want to upload, file is not checked out. Suggests to check out then upload.

SPTools: New workspace

Create a new SharePoint workspace from a remote site.

Replicate folder structure and download all files locally.

SharePoint workspaces (folders with a top level spconfig.json file) will prompt you to login to the relevant remote site the first time you open a file. This is because the extension is checking the current file status (date and check out status) when opening it (there is a small latence so it won't check dozen of files if you quickly switch between them).

SPTools: Check file state

Compare remote and local last modified dates, get check out state and update statusbar indicators accordingly.

SPTools: Sync file

Download remote file, replace current local file.

SPTools: Upload file

Upload current file to remote site, replace remote file with local one.

SPTools: Check in/out/discard file

Check file status and ask if you want to check it in, out or discard the current check out depending on the current state.

SPTools: Sync entire workspace

Sync entire workspace (Not implemented yet)

SPTools: Reset credentials cache

Delete all cached credentials

A word about credentials

Credentials are not stored in files, but rather kept in the extension memory.

Use SPTools: Reset credentials cache command to reset the cache.

Compatibility

• Windows
• OSX
• *nix (need feedback)
• SharePoint 2013 online
• SharePoint 2013 on premise (NTLM/basic)

(SPTools works best with GIT)

Known issues

• Sync entire workspace command not implemented yet
• In some cases time zone difference between SharePoint site and VS Code client can result in wrong "up to date" notice
• Image files are not downloaded correctly
• Users with same Display Name AND no email address in SharePoint will be resolved as same (e.g. files will be resolved as "checked out to you" for both)

What to expect next

• SharePoint 2010 compatibility (on prem)
• Ignore specific files option using paterns
• Use WinCred or environment specific credentials storage
• Auto checkin/out files option
• SharePoint specific snippets
• Update/remove specific credentials

** Enjoy!**