Escape Buster

Escape Buster is a VS Code extension that provides a convenient way to preview strings containing escape sequences like \n, \t, and \r. It's especially useful when working with code or formatted data stored as strings in JSON files, source code, and other formats.

Features

• Preview on Hover: Instantly see the expanded content of strings with escape sequences when hovering over them
• Dedicated Preview Panel: Open strings in a full preview panel for better viewing and interaction
• Syntax Highlighting: Automatic language detection and syntax highlighting for code snippets
• Theme Compatibility: Consistent syntax highlighting in both light and dark themes
• Copy to Clipboard: Easily copy the expanded content with a single click
• Multi-line Editor: Edit escaped strings in a dedicated editor with automatic conversion to/from escape sequences
• Double Escape Sequence Support: Handle double escape sequences like \\n, \\t, and \\r

Installation

1. Open VS Code
2. Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
3. Search for "Escape Buster"
4. Click Install

Usage

1. Open a file containing strings with escape sequences (e.g., a JSON file)
2. Hover over a string that contains escape sequences like \n, \t, or \r
3. A preview will appear showing the formatted content with escape sequences interpreted
4. Click "Open in Preview Panel" to open a larger, dedicated view
5. Use the "Copy to Clipboard" button to copy the expanded content

Supported Escape Sequences

• \n - New line
• \t - Tab
• \r - Carriage return
• \" - Double quote
• \' - Single quote
• \/ - Forward slash
• \\ - Backslash

Configuration

EscapeBuster can be configured through the VS Code settings:

• escapeBuster.enabledFileTypes: Array of file extensions where the extension should be active (default: ["json"])
• escapeBuster.hoverDelay: Delay in milliseconds before showing the preview (default: 100)
• escapeBuster.enableDoubleEscape: Enable/disable support for double escape sequences (default: false)

Example configuration in settings.json:

{
  "escapeBuster.enabledFileTypes": ["json", "jsonl"],
  "escapeBuster.hoverDelay": 100,
  "escapeBuster.enableDoubleEscape": true
}

Requirements

• VS Code 1.75.0 or higher

Known Issues

• Performance may be affected when previewing very large strings
• Code language detection may not be 100% accurate for all content types
• Some language-specific syntax features may not be perfectly highlighted in the preview panel

Release Notes

1.0.0

Initial release of Escape Buster:

• Preview strings with escape sequences on hover
• Dedicated preview panel with "Copy to Clipboard" functionality
• Code detection and syntax highlighting for multiple languages

1.0.1

• Add supportng for escaped-slash \/

1.1.0

• Support for multi-line editing of escape-busted strings

1.1.1

• Add support for double escape sequences.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

License

This extension is licensed under the MIT License.