Is there a way to run a command with VS Code tasks? - visual-studio-code

Question

In VS Code, I have an extension whose commands I can run by pressing F1 and searching by name. However I would like to automatically run it from a task (tasks.json). I know its full name from keyboard shortcuts.

Answer 1

You can run a valid command in tasks.json with the ${command:} syntax:
{
"version": "2.0.0",
"tasks": [
{
"label": "echo",
"command": "${command:editor.action.addCommentLine}",
"group": {
"kind": "build",
"isDefault": true
}
}
]
}
The above example comments out the current line
Compound Commands
If you would like to run commands sequentially/parallel, you can use the dependsOn property to run multiple commands:
Either a string representing another task or an array of other tasks that this task depends on.
For example, let's say there's a scenario where you want to duplicate the current line you are on down, comment it out above, and arbitrarily, for demonstration purposes, focus the terminal immediately:
{
"version": "2.0.0",
"tasks": [
{
"label": "create temporary duplicate line",
"command": "${command:workbench.action.terminal.focus}",
"dependsOn": [
"duplicate line up",
"comment line out"
],
"group": {
"kind": "build",
"isDefault": true
}
},
{
"label": "comment line out",
"command": "${command:editor.action.addCommentLine}"
},
{
"label": "duplicate line up",
"command": "${command:editor.action.copyLinesUpAction}"
}
]
}
Let's say the line you duplicated was:
<div></div>
The task would run and make this:
<!-- <div></div> -->
<div></div>
And then focus on the integrated terminal
You can review their documentation on command variables and other placeholder syntax, like taking in user input for creating dynamic tasks, or using the runOn property to automatically run a task on folder startup