VSCode Extension: Open Workspace If Exists

Opens an existing .code-workspace file that contains the folder currently opened in VS Code.

License

This project is licensed under the Apache License 2.0. See LICENSE for the full license text.

Settings

If exactly one workspace matches, you are asked to confirm opening it. If several match, you choose one from a list.

Startup order and settings

Detection starts immediately when the extension activates at startup (*), without waiting for onStartupFinished or an additional timer. The enabled setting and workspace selection/confirmation still apply.

VS Code does not guarantee extension activation order. Other extensions can activate and write settings while detection or a selection prompt is pending. This extension cannot block them or redirect their settings writes.

To ensure the workspace is loaded before other extensions activate, use File > Open Workspace from File... and select the existing .code-workspace, or launch code "C:\path\to\existing.code-workspace" instead of opening its folder. Workspace-scoped settings then belong in the workspace file's settings object. Extensions that explicitly write folder-scoped settings or directly create .vscode/settings.json can still write inside a project folder even with the workspace open; those extensions must be configured or changed separately. This extension does not move, delete, or rewrite settings created by others.

Package and install

Automated GitHub Releases

Pushing a version tag creates a GitHub Release with an installable .vsix attached. The workflow runs npm ci and npm test, checks that the tag matches the version in package.json, and then packages and releases the extension. For the current "version": "1.0.3" in package.json, run:

git tag v1.0.3
git push origin v1.0.3

Use a new tag matching the updated package version for each release. The workflow creates GitHub Releases only; it does not publish to the VS Code Marketplace.

To create a local installable package without making a release:

npx --yes @vscode/vsce package --no-dependencies --allow-missing-repository --allow-star-activation

The command compiles the extension and creates vscode-extension-open-workspace-1.0.3.vsix. Development sources, tests, and dependencies are excluded from the package.

In VS Code, open Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X), click ..., choose Install from VSIX..., and select the generated file. Reload VS Code if prompted.

Running tests

Run npm test to compile the extension and execute its regression tests using Node.js's built-in test runner (Node.js 18 or newer). The tests use real temporary workspace files with mocked VS Code APIs to verify matching, JSONC parsing, recursive discovery, confirmation, selection, cancellation, and startup behavior. Temporary files are removed after each test.

A read-only smoke test also searches the configured default workspace directory for this project's folder if that directory exists. It never opens a VS Code window or changes files in that directory.

Launch from the VS Code UI

1. Open this repository folder in VS Code.
2. Open Run and Debug (Ctrl+Shift+D) and select Run Extension.
3. Press F5 or click the green start button.

VS Code compiles the extension first, then opens a separate Extension Development Host window with this repository folder and the development extension loaded. You can set breakpoints in src/extension.ts in the original window. After changing the code, restart the debug session to compile and load the changes. Stop debugging with Shift+F5.

In the development host, open a folder listed in one of your workspace files. Run Open Workspace If Exists from the Command Palette. Confirm the single match prompt, or choose a workspace when multiple files match; cancelling should leave the current folder open. Opening a .code-workspace directly should not prompt again.