Recently Used
Create a Recently Used arguments list for any command.
If you use a command regularly that has an InputBox to get an argument for the command it's not nice to have to type the same strings often.
With this extension you can predefine a list of arguments and add strings to the list for the current session. The arguments used will be shown in a recently used list (QuickPick) with a special item at the bottom to add a new item.
The extension exports the command: Recently Used: Select command and recently used arguments (recently-used.arguments).
If you call this command from the command Palette or with a key binding without arguments you are presented with a list of the commands defined in the setting: recently-used.arguments. You select a command and then you select an item from the predefined list, or add a new item. The new items are remembered for this session of VSC. If you want to use them the next time you start VSC you have to add them to the initial property in the configuration.
You can create a keybinding with arguments to the command recently-used.arguments if you use a particular VSC command very often. You will be presented immediately with the recently used item list.
All recently used item lists have a name. If you use the same name in different settings or key bindings they use the same list with that name.
Configuration
The setting recently-used.arguments is an object (allows merging over the different settings.json files [User / Workspace / Folder]).
This object has 2 special keys (not very likely you want to name your command like this):
title : [string] (Optional) The text above the QuickPick list to choose a command. (default: undefined)placeHolder : [string] (Optional) The placeholder text shown in the QuickPick list to choose a command. (default: undefined)
All other keys in the object are the labels for the commands. An idea is to use the same text as the command uses in the Command Palette. You can create separate lists for the same command by using labels that are unique like:
Emmet: Wrap with AbbreviationEmmet: Wrap with Abbreviation (code)Emmet: Wrap with Abbreviation (table)
The value for a command label key is an object with the following properties:
command : [string] The commandID of the VSC command you want to execute. You can find it in the key bindings GUI if you search for the used Command Palette text (use context menu when found).
args : [string|object|array|number|boolean] The argument you want to pass to the command. You can construct any combination of the allowed types, like array of objects of strings. The strings are treated special. The string can contain any text and variables. All variables of the format: ${recently:name} are replaced by an item picked from the recently used list with that name. name is a property of the recently property of this object (sibling of the args property). You can use multiple variables, in the same string or different strings.
recently : [object] (Optional) Contains the configuration of the named recently used lists used in the args property. The key of the object is the name of the list. (default: {} all named lists are empty on start if not defined and used in another command)
The value for each key name is an object with the properties:
title : [string] (Optional) The text above the QuickPick list to choose an item. (default: undefined)placeHolder : [string] (Optional) The placeholder text shown in the QuickPick list to choose an item. (default: undefined)initial : [array] (Optional) An array of the initial content of the recently used list. Each array element can be a string or an object.
variableSubstValue : [boolean] (Optional) do a variable substitution on the picked value. If the picked value contains a ${recently:name} variable it uses a recently used list as defined in the sibling property recently (default: false)recently : [object] (Optional) the definition of recently used list(s) in values of this list.new : [object] (Optional) An object to configure the addition of a new item to the recently used list. (default: {})
The object has the following properties:
label : [string] (Optional) The label to show at the end of the recently used item list. (default: "-- new --")
If you select this option you can enter a new item using an InputBox.
If -- is possible content of the items you can change it to something else like: "## new ##"prompt : [string] (Optional) The text under the InputBox to add a new item. (default: "Enter argument: name")title : [string] (Optional) The text above the InputBox to add a new item. (default: undefined)placeHolder : [string] (Optional) The placeholder text shown in the InputBox to add a new item. (default: undefined)
Variable Substitution
At the following locations you can use variables:
- in the
args property of the command
- in the values of a recently used list. You have to enable the variable substitution (
variableSubstValue) on a particular element in the initial property or enable it for the whole recently used list. This also includes the new element values you add.
The following variables are supported:
${command:name} : use the result of a command as a variable. name can be a commandID or a named argument object property, named arguments are part of the command property (like recently).${command:cv#name} : if you want to use a variable with the name supported by the extension Command Variable that does not need additional arguments like ${fileBasename}. The variable value will be fetched with a call to extension.commandvariable.transform${recently:name} : use a picked item from the recently used list with the name defined in the recently property (args sibling or initial sibling)
The extension Command Variable implements a selection of variables we can get by using the command extension.commandvariable.transform. Many of the other commands of the extension could be useful.
If you want to use the variable ${fileBasename}:
"recently-used.arguments": {
"Compile a file" : {
"command": "workbench.action.terminal.sendSequence",
"args": { "text": "${recently:pickCommand} ${recently:pickFile}\u000D" },
"recently": {
"pickCommand": {
"prompt": "Pick Compiler",
"initial": [
{ "label": "compile gcc -O2",
"value": "gcc -O2 -o myapp"
},
{ "label": "compile clang",
"value": "clang -o myapp"
}
]
},
"pickFile": {
"prompt": "Pick File",
"initial": [
{ "label": "Current file",
"value": "${command:fileBasename}"
},
"hello-world.cpp"
],
"variableSubstValue": true,
"command": {
"fileBasename": {
"command": "extension.commandvariable.transform",
"args": { "text": "${fileBasename}"}
}
}
}
}
}
}
Using ${command:cv#name} the pickFile recently used list can be shortened to
"pickFile": {
"prompt": "Pick File",
"initial": [
{ "label": "Current file",
"value": "${command:cv#fileBasename}"
},
"hello-world.cpp"
],
"variableSubstValue": true
}
Examples
The next example shows every possible property of the setting. For this command they are not all useful. Just delete the ones you don't like.
This is part of the settings.json file. The Global/User, Workspace or Folder version.
"recently-used.arguments": {
"title": "Pick a command",
"placeHolder": "type to filter commands",
"Emmet: Wrap with Abbreviation" : {
"command": "editor.emmet.action.wrapWithAbbreviation",
"args": { "abbreviation": "${recently:emmet-wrap}" },
"recently": {
"emmet-wrap": {
"title": "Pick an Abbreviation",
"placeHolder": "type to filter Abbreviations",
"initial": [
"span.math",
{
"label": "Formula",
"value": "p.math",
"description": "p.math description",
"detail": "p.math detail"
}
],
"new": {
"label": "## new Abbreviation ##",
"prompt": "Enter Abbreviation",
"title": "New Abbreviation",
"placeHolder": "type Abbreviation"
}
}
}
},
"Emmet: Update Tag" : {
"command": "editor.emmet.action.updateTag",
"args": "${recently:emmet-update-tag}",
"recently": {
"emmet-update-tag": {
"initial": [ "blockquote", "table", "span", "code", "figure", "figcaption" ],
"new": {
"label": "-- new tag --",
"prompt": "Enter Tag"
}
}
}
}
}
You can perform variable substitution on the picked value. This allows recently used pick list of recently used pick lists.
In the example we pick an animal breed, by first picking the type of animal, and then echo it on the terminal.
"recently-used.arguments": {
"Echo: an animal breed" : {
"command": "workbench.action.terminal.sendSequence",
"args": { "text": "echo \"${recently:pickAnimal}\"\u000D" },
"recently": {
"pickAnimal": {
"prompt": "Pick Animal",
"initial": [
{ "label": "A dog ...",
"value": "${recently:pickDog}"
},
{ "label": "A cat ...",
"value": "${recently:pickCat}"
},
{ "label": "A snake ...",
"value": "${recently:pickSnake}"
}
],
"variableSubstValue": true,
"recently": {
"pickDog": {
"prompt": "Pick Dog",
"initial": [
"Alaskan Malamute",
"Bernese Mountain",
"Golden Retriever",
"Tibetan Terrier"
]
},
"pickCat": {
"prompt": "Pick Cat",
"initial": [
"Abyssinian",
"Bengal",
"Tonkinese",
"Toyger"
]
},
"pickSnake": {
"prompt": "Pick Snake",
"initial": [
"Python",
"Asian Cobra",
"Coral snake",
"Sidewinder Rattlesnake"
]
}
}
}
}
}
}
Key binding
If you use a particular command often you can create a keybinding that will show the recently used list(s) immediately.
Some of the HTML tags are more than 3 characters and you don't have suggestions in an InputBox.
{
"key": "F15", // or any other key combo
"when": "editorTextFocus",
"command": "recently-used.arguments",
"args": {
"command": "editor.emmet.action.updateTag",
"args": "${recently:emmet-update-tag}",
"recently": {
"emmet-update-tag": {
"initial": [ "blockquote", "table", "span", "code", "figure", "figcaption" ],
"new": {
"label": "-- new tag --",
"prompt": "Enter Tag"
}
}
}
}
}
Predefined key binding
The extension defines a key binding for the command recently-used.arguments
- Win/Linux:
ctrl+shift+alt+p
- Mac:
cmd+shift+alt+p
You are presented with a list like the Command Palette for commands you defined in the settings.
