StructVisualizer

Parse and visualize C/C++ struct memory layout with alignment, padding, pointers, and packing control.

Features

Right-click any struct in a C/C++ file → "Visualize Struct"
Memory layout visualization:
- 8-byte rows (configurable via packing)
- Color-coded fields:
  - 🟢 Light green: normal data
  - 🔵 Light blue: pointers
  - 🟣 Plum: function pointers
  - 🔴 Red ("PAD"): padding bytes
Bit-field support with vertical label stacking
Byte-width slider for zoom control
Automatic type resolution using VS Code's C/C++ extension (cpptools)
Macro resolution - automatically resolves #define macros in array sizes
Typedef chain resolution - follows typedef chains to underlying types
User-configurable exclusion paths to avoid build/backup files
Manual type definition fallback for unresolved types
"Add Struct to JSON" to save computed size/alignment

No Python installation required! Everything runs natively in TypeScript.

StructVisualizer automatically resolves macros used in array sizes:

#define BUFFER_SIZE 256

struct Data {
    char buffer[BUFFER_SIZE];  // Automatically resolved to buffer[256]
};

When you visualize a struct from the editor, macros are automatically resolved using IntelliSense.

Configure StructVisualizer in VS Code Settings:

struct-visualizer.defaultPack (default: 4):
Default packing value in bytes (0 = natural alignment)
struct-visualizer.defaultByteWidth (default: 60):
Default byte width in pixels for visualization (range: 40-400)
struct-visualizer.typeResolver.excludePaths:
Array of globs to exclude when resolving types (e.g., ["**/build/**", "**/*.bak"])

Complete TypeScript Migration: No Python dependency - runs natively in VS Code
Auto-resolved Type Management: Auto-resolved typedef structs are cleared on each visualization to ensure fresh resolution
Comment Stripping: Automatically removes comments (//, ///, /* */) from code before visualization
Webview Panel Reuse: Reuses existing panel when visualizing from context menu
Typedef Struct Resolution: Automatically computes size/alignment for typedef structs
Enhanced Macro Resolution: Handles parentheses and type suffixes (e.g., (5u), 10UL)
File Search Fallback: Searches current file when IntelliSense can't resolve types
User-Friendly UI: Renamed "Add to JSON" → "Add to Types", status bar visible across all tabs
Configurable Defaults: Extension settings for default pack and byte width values

Built for embedded and systems developers who need to verify struct memory layout.