MISPL Language Support for Visual Studio Code

MISPL (MIPS Scripting Language) is a powerful scripting language used to customize and extend the Clinisys GLIMS Laboratory Information System. This extension brings modern IDE features to VS Code, making MISPL development faster, cleaner, and less prone to errors.

[!IMPORTANT]
Independent Development: This module is an independently developed third-party tool. Clinisys does not provide technical support for this extension and is not responsible for any errors caused by its use.

✨ Key Features & Tools

🧠 Intelligent Coding & Navigation

Write code faster with smart suggestions, context-aware hovers, and instant error detection.

🔍 Hover, Linting & Quick Fixes

Hovering over a variable shows its type, its last assignment, and how many times it is present. In the Problems window, Errors, Warnings, and Style-tips are shown. Using the right mouse menu (or the Quick Fix lightbulb) shows an automatic quick fix in many cases.

💡 IntelliSense (Snippets)

Hover over any standard GLIMS function (e.g., AddLogEntry) to instantly view parameter requirements and documentation. Use smart autocomplete snippets to build complex blocks in seconds.

🗺️ Code-Map (Outline)

Navigate complex scripts easily with the Outline panel. View declared variables by type and jump directly to specific IF and WHILE blocks.

🛠️ Refactoring & Formatting

Keep your codebase clean, readable, and perfectly structured with automated tools.

🧹 Remove Unused Variables

Automatically scans your declarations and surgically removes variables that are never used in the script.

📏 Align Assignments

Select a block of code and align all := operators vertically for maximum readability.

📦 Wrap in Block

Instantly wrap selected lines of code in an IF, WHILE, or REPEAT block with proper indentation (Shortcut: Ctrl+Alt+W).

✂️ Extract to Variable

Select a complex expression, right-click, and extract it to automatically declare and assign a new variable at the top of your script.

📝 Format, Compact & Minify

Format your code perfectly, remove redundant whitespace, or aggressively minify your script to stay under the GLIMS 31,000-character limit.

⚙️ Extension Settings

Use File > Preferences > Settings to open the settings window. Search for MISPL to find specific settings items such as language, or the type of desired formatting for your MISPLs.

⚙️ View Settings Panel

• mispl.language: Set the language for the linter, pop-ups, and Quick Fixes (Auto, English, Dutch, French, or German).
• mispl.formattingStyle: Choose between the Standard format or the Clinisys Multi-line format (which places THEN, DO, and UNTIL on new lines).
• mispl.glimsUsername: Your personal GLIMS login name, used to generate safe, user-targeted debug messages.
• mispl.customDictionary: Path to your local GLIMS definitions.
  • How to use: The extension includes a custom_glims_dict_template.json file. Copy this template to a safe local folder, add your laboratory's custom Site Functions and Tables, and link the file path in this setting to enable IntelliSense and Hover support for your custom code!

🧪 Batch Testing (Mass Validation)

Taking over a database with thousands of legacy MISPL scripts is challenging. This extension includes Batch Test Tools to validate your entire GLIMS environment at once.

📊 See Batch Validation in action

Usage:
1. Export your MISPL table (gp_SiteFunction) from GLIMS as a .csv file.
2. Open the Folder ".\mispl\batchTest" in VS Code.
3. Run the Batch tool via Node.js in the Terminal.
4. Use runBatchToExcel.js for an Excel overview of all Errors, Warnings, and Style Tips, batchTest.js for Errors only, and unitTest.js to test the Linter.
5. The engine parses thousands of scripts in seconds and produces a comprehensive report of all fatal crashes and syntax errors.

👣 Runtime Validation (Breadcrumbs)

Troubleshooting production code is difficult. The Validation Flow feature solves this by automatically injecting trace code into your script.

🕵️‍♂️ Coverage Analysis (Dead-Code Detection)

1. Inject: The tool safely injects tracking codes (_sV) at every logical crossroad.
2. Execute: Run the script in GLIMS. The breadcrumb trail is written to the GLIMS log.
3. Analyze: Copy the log string to VS Code and run the analysis. A Markdown report will show you exactly which paths were executed and which were skipped.

🌳 Flowcharts & AST Visualizations

Transform your code into visual logic to simplify complex scripts for documentation or consultation.

🔀 Interactive Flowcharts

Generate interactive Mermaid.js flowcharts for your script. Click on any block in the diagram to instantly jump to the corresponding line of code in your editor.

🌲 Print AST (Abstract Syntax Tree)

Convert your MISPL script into a clean, hierarchical tree structure that reveals how the parser interprets the logic.

🕹️ Command Overview

All tools are quickly accessible via the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P) or the MISPL Tool Menu (Ctrl+Alt+M or Ctrl+Alt+Q).

📦 Installation

1. Open Visual Studio Code.
2. Go to the Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X).
3. Search for MISPL Language Support.
4. Click Install.

🐞 Reporting Issues

Help improve the engine! If you encounter an incorrect linting error or a specific edge case in GLIMS:

1. Send an email to: d.w.koppenaal@umcutrecht.nl
2. Include a minimal MISPL code example that reproduces the issue.
3. Describe the expected behavior versus what the linter actually does.