Watkins Labs SCP-O-NATOR

WL-SCP-O-NATOR is a Visual Studio Code extension that allows you to upload and download files between your local machine and a remote server using SCP. This extension simplifies the process of managing files on remote servers directly from your code editor.

Why?

We think its better to work from your local machine and push to the remote one.

Preqs

• Windows : the putty package with plink
• Everyone else: Good to go.

Features

• Upload Files: Upload the currently open file in the editor to a remote server.
• Download Files: Download the corresponding remote file to your local directory.
• Project Operations: Upload or download the entire project, with support for ignore patterns.

Keybindings

• Upload File: Ctrl+SHIFT+S (This replaces the SAVE ALL Function in vscode)
• Download File: Ctrl+D

Installation

1. Install the Extension: Search for SCP-O-NATOR in the Visual Studio Code Extensions marketplace and install it.
2. Create a Configuration File: Create a .scpconfig.json file in the root of your workspace or the directory where your files are located.

Configuration

Example .scpconfig.json

Create a file named .scpconfig.json and add the following content:

{
  "username": "your-username",
  "host": "your-host",
  "remoteDirectory": "/path/to/remote/directory",
  "usePuttyTools": true, // Only for Windows users
  "puttyPath": "C:\\path\\to\\putty\\directory", // Only for Windows users
  "privateKey": "C:\\path\\to\\private\\key" // Path to your private key file (either OpenSSH or PuTTY format)
}

Setting Up SSH Public Key Authentication

To securely access your remote server without entering a password, set up SSH public key authentication. This extension supports both OpenSSH and PuTTY key formats.

For Linux and macOS Users (OpenSSH Keys)

1. Generate an SSH Key Pair:

   Open a terminal and run:

   ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "your-email@example.com"
   

   Follow the prompts to save the key pair, optionally adding a passphrase for security.

2. Copy the Public Key to the Remote Server:

   ssh-copy-id username@host
   

   This command adds your public key to the ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file on the remote server.

For Windows Users (PuTTY Keys)

1. Generate an SSH Key Pair with PuTTYgen:

   • Open PuTTYgen.
   • Select "Generate" and move the mouse to create randomness.
   • Save the public key and the private key (.ppk file). You can also export the key to OpenSSH format if needed.

2. Copy the Public Key to the Remote Server:

   • Open the saved public key file, copy its contents, and add it to the ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file on your remote server. This can be done via an SSH connection or a control panel provided by your hosting provider.

3. Using PSCP and Plink with PuTTY:

   • Ensure that the path to your PuTTY tools (pscp.exe and plink.exe) is correctly set in the puttyPath field of your .scpconfig.json.
   • Specify the path to your .ppk private key file in the privateKey field.

Usage

Uploading Files

To upload the currently open file in the editor to the remote server, press Ctrl+U. This will execute the upload command and transfer the file to the specified remote directory.

Downloading Files

To download the corresponding remote file to your local directory, press Ctrl+D. This will execute the download command and retrieve the file from the specified remote directory.

Project Operations

• Upload Project: Use the extension to upload all files in the workspace, respecting the ignore patterns specified in the configuration.
• Download Project: Downloads updates for files that already exist locally; new files not present locally will not be downloaded.

Troubleshooting

• No active editor found: Make sure you have a file open in the editor before using the upload or download commands.
• Configuration file not found: Ensure that the .scpconfig.json file is in the root of your workspace or the directory where your files are located.
• SSH authentication errors: Verify that your SSH credentials (username, private key) are correct and that the SSH server is accessible.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! If you encounter any issues or have feature requests, please open an issue or submit a pull request on the GitHub repository.

License

This project is licensed under the BSD 3 License. See the LICENSE file for details.