🚨 Error Alert Runner

Error Alert Runner is a lightweight Visual Studio Code extension that plays an audio alert whenever a task finishes, based on its exit code. It helps you instantly know whether a task failed or succeeded without constantly watching the terminal.

❌ Plays a sound when a task fails
✅ Optionally plays a sound when a task succeeds
⚙️ Supports default, custom, or mute modes
💻 Works with CMD, PowerShell, and VS Code Tasks
🚀 No language restrictions — works with any project

✨ Features

• Automatically detects task completion status
• Plays error sound when exit code is non-zero
• Plays success sound when exit code is zero (optional)
• Supports custom .wav sound files
• Simple and minimal configuration
• Very low performance overhead

🛠 How It Works

The extension listens to VS Code task executions in the background. When a task completes, it checks the exit code returned by the process. If the exit code is not zero, an error sound is played. If the exit code is zero, a success sound is played depending on your configuration. The behavior is independent of programming language and works with any task defined in tasks.json.

⚙️ Configuration

Open VS Code Settings and search for Error Alert Runner.

Error Sound Mode

Setting: errorAlert.soundMode
Options:

• default – Use the built-in error sound
• custom – Use a custom .wav file
• mute – Disable error sound

Custom Error Sound Path

Setting: errorAlert.customSoundPath
Provide an absolute path to a .wav file.
Example (Windows):
C:\Users\YourName\Music\error.wav

Success Sound Mode

Setting: errorAlert.successSoundMode
Options:

• default
• custom
• mute (default)

Custom Success Sound Path

Setting: errorAlert.successCustomSoundPath
Provide an absolute path to a .wav file.

🎮 Commands

Open the Command Palette (Ctrl + Shift + P) and use:

• Error Alert: Select Error Sound
• Error Alert: Select Success Sound

These commands allow quick selection of custom sound files without manually editing settings.

💻 Terminal Compatibility

Error Alert Runner works seamlessly with:

• Command Prompt (CMD)
• PowerShell
• VS Code Integrated Terminal
• VS Code Tasks

The extension relies on task exit codes, not terminal type.

🧪 Example Usage

Run any task, for example: npm run build

If the task fails, an error sound is played.
If the task succeeds, a success sound is played (if enabled).

🧩 Development Setup

1. Install dependencies: npm install

2. Compile the extension: npm run compile

3. Press F5 in VS Code to launch the Extension Development Host.

📦 Packaging the Extension

Install the VS Code Extension Manager: npm install -g vsce

Create the VSIX package: vsce package

🎯 Why Error Alert Runner?

Because repeatedly checking the terminal is distracting. Error Alert Runner notifies you instantly so you can focus on your workflow while your tasks run in the background.

👨‍💻 Author

Nitesh Kaushik
B.Tech Student | Developer | SDE Aspirant

If this extension improves your development experience, consider giving the repository a ⭐