INTERLIS 2.4 language support

Description

A Visual Studio Code extension providing INTERLIS 2.4 language support. The colors of the syntax highlighting are customizable using the colors of the current color theme by default. In addition, this extension provides snippets for commonly used blocks in INTERLIS 2 and a markdown documentation generator.

Features

Syntax Highlighting

The extension associates with .ILI files and applies coloring to the different elements in the file, for example:

• Object names like
  • TOPIC
  • MODEL
  • CLASS
• Data types like
  • BOOLEAN
  • TEXT
• Keywords like
  • ASSOCIATION
  • ABSTRACT
  • EXTENDS
• String patterns like
  • {...}

Snippets

The extension provides interactive snippets for commonly used INTERLIS 2 blocks. To use the snippets start by typing the name of the block until VSC provides the correct option as suggestion. Select the snippet with the arrow keys and hit ENTER to insert. Navigate through the snippet and its options with TAB.

Supported snippets include: MODEL, TOPIC, CLASS, STRUCTURE, ASSOCIATION and Role

Code navigation and refactoring

The extension provides code navigation to referenced symbols such as classes, structures and imported models using the Go To Definition functionality (default hotkey F12 or Ctrl + left mouse click). Find All References (Shift+F12) lists the uses of a symbol across the workspace.

Imported models from the model repositories are downloaded automatically to enable navigation to external models.

Rename Symbol (F2) renames a declared element together with all its uses in the workspace, including files that are not open. Elements of repository models cannot be renamed.

Hovering a name shows the fully qualified name of the element it refers to, with each name linking to its declaration, and its doc comments (/** ... */).

File associations

To make VS Code treat other file extensions than the default .ili as INTERLIS2 files, add the following to the user settings:

"files.associations": {
    "*.ili*": "INTERLIS2"
},

The example above associates extensions such as .ili with this extension.

Markdown documentation

The extension provides the command "Generate markdown documentation" to create markdown code from an INTERLIS 2 file describing the classes and their attributes. This command can be executed from the Command Palette (Default hotkey Ctrl+Shift+P) or the context menu of an open INTERLIS 2 file.

Live Diagram View

Watch your ILI models come to life in real time. As you type, the diagram automatically updates so you can instantly see your model’s structure, spot inconsistencies, and keep everything aligned—no extra clicks required. Export the diagram as .SVG to embed in your webpages or edit it further.

The diagram is an interactive UML class graph. Drag boxes and arrows, and click a box or association to jump to its definition. Filters switches each kind of box, compartment and arrow on and off, including the imported models. The diagram stays on its file until you run Show INTERLIS Panel for This File from another INTERLIS editor.

Format Document

The Format Document command automatically formats your entire INTERLIS file. It adjusts indentation and spacing to make the code more readable and consistent, while carefully preserving all existing comments. You can invoke this command by right-clicking in an INTERLIS editor and selecting "Format Document" from the context menu.

Troubleshooting

spawn UNKNOWN when opening an .ili file

If activating the extension fails with an error like:

INTERLIS2 Language Server client: couldn't create connection to server.
Error: spawn UNKNOWN

the language server executable cannot be launched, typically because the default extensions directory (%USERPROFILE%\.vscode\extensions on Windows) is on a volume that does not grant execute permission to the current user. Common in locked-down corporate setups.

Workaround: launch VS Code with an extensions directory you can execute from, e.g.

code --extensions-dir "C:\LegacySW\vscode\extensions"

Re-install the extension into that directory and reopen the file.