RoboSense — VS Code Extension

A VS Code extension for reviewing Robot Framework test cases internally. Provides two core features:

1. Split-View Protocol Output — See reconstructed NETCONF XML, SSH commands, simulator operations, and STC traffic alongside your .robot script
2. Static Validator — Real-time diagnostics that catch common ATC errors before execution

How to Install & Run (Step-by-Step)

Option A: Run in Development Mode (Recommended for first-time testing)

# 1. Open a terminal and go to the extension directory
cd /repo/<user_name>/robot/TOOLS/RoboSense

# 2. Install dependencies (one-time)
npm install

# 3. Compile TypeScript
npm run compile

Then in VS Code:

4. Press Ctrl+Shift+P → type Developer: Reload Window → press Enter

   OR open the extension folder directly:

   • File → Open Folder → select /repo/<user_name>/robot/TOOLS/RoboSense
   • Press F5 — this launches a new VS Code window (Extension Development Host)
   • In that new window, open your robot repo folder (/repo/<user_name>/robot)

5. You should see "RoboSense: OFF" in the bottom status bar (grey text)

Option B: Install as VSIX Package (Permanent install)

# 1. Go to the extension directory
cd /repo/<user_name>/robot/TOOLS/RoboSense

# 2. Install dependencies & build
npm install && npm run compile

# 3. Package into .vsix
npx @vscode/vsce package --no-dependencies

# 4. Install the .vsix in VS Code
code --install-extension robosense-1.0.0.vsix 

Then reload VS Code (Ctrl+Shift+P → Developer: Reload Window).

Option C: Symlink for Live Development

# Create a symlink from VS Code extensions to your dev folder
ln -s /repo/<user_name>/robot/TOOLS/RoboSense ~/.vscode-server/extensions/RoboSense

# Rebuild after changes
cd /repo/<user_name>/robot/TOOLS/RoboSense && npm run compile

# Reload VS Code
# Ctrl+Shift+P → Developer: Reload Window

How to Use

Step 1: Check the Status Bar

When you open the robot repo in VS Code, look at the bottom-left status bar:

$(circle-slash) RoboSense: OFF     ← Grey, extension is dormant

Note: The status bar item only appears if the workspace contains LIBS/, ULKS/, and ATS/ directories (i.e., it's a robot repo). If you open a non-robot project, the extension stays completely hidden.

Step 2: Turn It On

Click the status bar item. It turns green:

$(check) RoboSense: ON     ← Green, extension is active

On first enable, it scans all YANG_INVENTORY JSON files and loads leaf mappings. You'll see a notification:

"RoboSense: ON — 6523 leaf keys loaded"

Step 3: Open a .robot File

Open any .robot file (e.g., a test case under ATS/MOSWA/COMMON/IHUB/).

When the extension is ON and a .robot file is active, you'll see:

• A preview icon ($(open-preview)) in the editor title bar (top-right of the editor tab)
• Inline diagnostics — squiggly underlines in the code for validation issues
• Errors/warnings in the Problems panel (Ctrl+Shift+M)

Step 4: Open Split View

Click the preview icon in the editor title bar (or Ctrl+Shift+P → "RoboSense: Open ATC Split View").

The screen splits:

• Left — your .robot script
• Right — reconstructed protocol output panel showing:
  • NETCONF XML for each editconfig_nokia_conf call
  • GET-CONFIG / GET-STATE filter XMLs
  • SSH commands
  • Simulator start/stop operations
  • STC traffic configurations

Step 5: Review

In the right panel:

• Click any card → jumps to that line in the left editor
• Leaf key badges — green = valid (found in YANG_INVENTORY), red = unknown key
• Stats bar at top — shows counts of edit-config, get-config, validate, commit, etc.
• Collapsible sections — click test case headers to expand/collapse

Step 6: Turn Off

Click the status bar item again → switches to OFF, hides the icon, clears diagnostics.

Split-View (Protocol Output Reconstruction)

Open any .robot file and click the split-view icon in the editor title bar, or use:

• Command Palette: RoboSense: Open ATC Split View
• Right-click context menu: RoboSense: Open ATC Split View

The panel shows each keyword call reconstructed into its protocol equivalent:

Each operation card shows:

• Color-coded type badge (EDIT-CONFIG in blue, GET-CONFIG in green, etc.)
• Session target (DUTA, DUTB, etc.)
• Leaf key validation badges — green = found in YANG_INVENTORY, red = unknown
• Click to navigate — clicking any card scrolls the editor to that line

Static Validator (Diagnostics)

Runs automatically on .robot files and reports issues in the Problems panel:

Installation

cd TOOLS/RoboSense
npm install
npm run compile

Then press F5 in VS Code to launch the Extension Development Host, or package it:

npx @vscode/vsce package

This produces robosense-1.0.0.vsix that can be installed in VS Code.

Configuration

Commands