MiniZinc Interactive
A VS Code extension that brings interactive development, real-time diagnostics, quick fixes, and visual analytics to your MiniZinc workflow.
Features
Direct Compilation & Execution (Standard Run)
Compile and run models instantly without leaving your code editor.
- Top-Right Quick-Access Icons: Click the Play (
▶) or Play-Circle (⚪▶) icons on the top-right editor bar to execute your model immediately.
- Keyboard Shortcuts: Run models directly using the default keyboard shortcut
Ctrl+R (or Cmd+R on macOS) or Ctrl+F5.
- Run with Data File Picker: Prompt and select
.dzn data files interactively from your workspace using a fast search dropdown list.
- Standard Output Terminal: Visualizes all solver outputs and execution statistics in a dedicated "MiniZinc Standard Run" output panel.
Solver Dashboard
For a more advanced interface, launch the interactive Solver Dashboard webview.
- Custom Solvers: Select dynamically from any locally installed MiniZinc solver (e.g., Gecode, Chuffed, COIN-OR CBC, etc.).
- Interactive Control: Stop, restart, or run models dynamically.
- Real-Time Stream: Visualizes solution streaming, search statistics, and solver exit statuses.
- Data File Configuration: Easily choose separate
.dzn datasets directly from the dashboard workspace.
- Solving Flags: Toggle finding all solutions (
-a), exporting solver statistics (-s), and specifying custom time limits or arguments.
Real-Time Diagnostics (Linter)
Never guess compilation or syntax errors again.
- Debounced Validation: Checks model validity in the background on file change or save.
- Inline Highlighting: Surfaces precise syntax and type error line numbers, columns, and compiler messages directly in your editor.
Smart Quick Fixes (Code Actions)
Accelerate modeling with context-aware automated quick fixes (Ctrl+. or Cmd+.):
- Missing Library Auto-Include: Automatically inserts standard imports (e.g.,
include "alldifferent.mzn";) when using global constraints.
- Workspace-Wide Dependency Resolving: Scans other workspace files for definitions and suggests relative includes.
- Keyword Typo Correction: Corrects typos in MiniZinc keywords (e.g.,
solve, constraint, predicate, satisfy).
- Predicate & Function Stub Generation: Generate placeholder stubs at the end of the file when calling an undefined function or predicate.
Advanced IDE Intelligence
Rich language client features:
- Go to Definition (
F12): Instantly jump to variables, constants, predicates, or function declarations.
- Find References (
Shift+F12): Locate all occurrences of a symbol across your model.
- Rename Symbol (
F2): Rename identifiers safely across the entire document.
- Outline view (
Ctrl+Shift+O or Cmd+Shift+O): Explore and navigate model declarations with structured symbols outline.
Auto-Complete Snippets
Includes standard templates for writing MiniZinc structures efficiently:
constraint: Standard constraint declarationsforall / sum: Loop quantifiersvarint / varbool / varfloat / arrayvarint: Decision variables and arrayssolvesat / solvemin / solvemax: Objective configurationsoutput: Output rendering blocks
Installation & Setup
Prerequisites
- MiniZinc: Ensure the
minizinc compiler is installed and available in your environment's PATH. You can check this by running:
minizinc --version
Local Build and Install
Run the build installer script to bundle and copy the extension files directly into the local extensions repository:
bash install.sh
Once installed, reload your VS Code window (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P ➡️ Developer: Reload Window) or restart the editor.
Extension Commands
| Command |
Title |
Default Shortcuts |
Description |
minizinc.runModel |
MiniZinc: Run Model Directly |
Ctrl+R / Cmd+R / Ctrl+F5 |
Compiles and runs the active model directly with default settings. |
minizinc.runModelWithData |
MiniZinc: Run Model with Data File... |
- |
Prompts for a workspace .dzn file and runs the model. |
minizinc.openDashboard |
MiniZinc: Open Interactive Solver Dashboard |
- |
Launches the graphical webview solver dashboard. |
You can trigger these commands from the Command Palette, the editor tab title bar (using the shortcut icons), or via the editor context menu (right-click).
Resources
File Structure
MiniZinc-Interactive/
├── extension.js # Core extension code and LSP providers
├── package.json # Extension metadata and contribution points
├── language-configuration.json # Bracket matching, commenting, and auto-closing rules
├── install.sh # Local development installation helper
├── snippets/
│ └── minizinc.code-snippets # Standard autocomplete snippet templates
└── syntaxes/
├── minizinc.tmLanguage.json # Syntax grammar rules for .mzn files
└── minizinc-data.tmLanguage.json # Syntax grammar rules for .dzn files
