How to run a command in Visual Studio Code with launch.json - visual-studio-code

Question

Is there a way to execute an ssh command when debugging a project with .vscode/launch.json?
For example: ssh -i xxxxx.
Or is it possible to create a command that you can run from the F1 command palette pop-up? Something like RunCustomCommandxx.

Answer 1

You can define a task in your tasks.json file and specify that as the preLaunchTask in your launch.json and the task will be executed before debugging begins.
Example:
In tasks.json:
For version 0.1.0:
{
"version": "0.1.0",
"tasks": [{
"taskName": "echotest",
"command": "echo", // Could be any other shell command
"args": ["test"],
"isShellCommand": true
}]
}
For version 2.0.0 (newer and recommended):
{
"version": "2.0.0",
"tasks": [{
"label": "echotest",
"command": "echo", // Could be any other shell command
"args": ["test"],
"type": "shell"
}]
}
In launch.json:
{
"configurations": [
{
// ...
"preLaunchTask": "echotest", // The name of the task defined above
// ...
}
]
}
Tasks documentation: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/editor/tasks
Launch configuration: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/editor/debugging#_launch-configurations

Answer 2

The format changed. Visual Studio Code can create the tasks.json file for you. Inside your launch.json file and inside any configurations object, just define preLaunchTask to force auto-creation of the tasks.json template file:
{
"version": "0.2.0",
"configurations": [
{
"type": "node",
"request": "launch",
"name": "launch program",
"skipFiles": [ "<node_internals>/**"],
"preLaunchTask": "myShellCommand",
"program": "${workspaceFolder}/test.js"
}
]
}
If you do not have file tasks.json configured:
launch the debugger. Visual Studio Code will inform you: "could not find the task
myShellCommand"
select Configure Task → Create tasks.json file
from template → Others
Your tasks.json template file will then be created for you. Add your command to command and the name you put in preLaunchTask to label:
{
"version": "2.0.0",
"tasks": [
{
"label": "myShellCommand",
"type": "shell",
"command": "echo goodfood"
}
]
}

Answer 3

For me, I just needed an environment variable, which is different. You don't want a task for this because (at least for me) it doesn't work when the launcher is run.
Thanks to here, I got it working like this, inside my launcher (launch.json) entry:
"environment": [{
"name": "ENVIRONMENT_VARIABLE_NAME",
"value": "${workspaceFolder}/lib" //Set to whatever value you want.
}],

Answer 4

My version of the configuration allows to just run a defined task and carried on (in my case, the task is to run the currently open Groovy file):
"configurations": [
{
"name": "Launch groovy",
"request": "launch",
"type": "coreclr",
"preLaunchTask": "groovy",
"program": "cmd.exe",
"args": ["/c"],
"cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
"console": "internalConsole",
"internalConsoleOptions": "neverOpen"
}
]
And the task:
"tasks": [
{
"label": "groovy",
"type": "shell",
"command": "groovy ${file}"
}
]

Answer 5

{
"version": "0.2.0",
"configurations": [
{
"name": "Launch app",
"program": "lib/main.dart",
"request": "launch",
"type": "dart"
},
{
"name": "Build an APK Release",
"command": "flutter build apk --release",
"request": "launch",
"type": "node-terminal"
},
{
"name": "Install an APK on a device",
"command": "flutter install",
"request": "launch",
"type": "node-terminal"
}
]
}

Answer 6

for flutter developers who is searching how to run flutter build commands.
in tasks.json add
"tasks": [
{
"type": "flutter",
"command": "flutter",
"args": [
"pub",
"run",
"build_runner",
"build",
"--delete-conflicting-outputs"
],
"problemMatcher": [
"$dart-build_runner"
],
"group": "build",
"label": "flutter: flutter pub run build_runner build --delete-conflicting-outputs"
},
]
then from vscode you can try "run task" it will show you flutter: flutter pub run build_runner build --delete-conflicting-outputs
this way you don't need to memorize and type to terminal source code generation/build commands