Hello,

I still consider myself new to WebFOCUS. Over the last year or so I've seen people (CoolGuy for example) mention VS Code as an alternate to AppStudio. I've done a search for this product in our forum here, but I haven't found anything that explains the pros and cons and how to customize it to work with WebFOCUS in a single thread (there is no dedicated thread for it). In case this is important, I have used Visual Studio but I'm no expert with it at all.

I have a few questions (or maybe someone can put together a quick Idiot's Guide to VS Code for WebFOCUS):
1) Any special addons or extensions that you folks use in VS Code to work with WebFOCUS?
2) Does IntelliSense work for fex files?
3) How do I open fex files in VS Code?
4) How do I save fex files in VS Code?
5) I imagine VS Code doesn't replace HTML canvas, is that right?
6) Anything else I should know?

I searched the VS Code forums for "webfocus" or "fex" but I didn't get any hits.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: FP Mod Chuck,

Ref: http://forums.informationbuild...1057331/m/4917057096

quote:

I have a few questions (or maybe someone can put together a quick Idiot's Guide to VS Code for WebFOCUS):
1) Any special addons or extensions that you folks use in VS Code to work with WebFOCUS?
2) Does IntelliSense work for fex files?
3) How do I open fex files in VS Code?
4) How do I save fex files in VS Code?
5) I imagine VS Code doesn't replace HTML canvas, is that right?
6) Anything else I should know?

I actually just posted in a different thread yesterday about this: http://forums.informationbuild...977057096#4977057096

In answer to your questions:
1) There is a WebFOCUS Extension that I use in VS Code.
2) There is some limited WebFOCUS intellisense in the extension, along with snippits, and syntax highlighting
3 & 4) You can integrate it into your AppStudio so the file opens through AppStudio. In AppStudio, go to: Options > General and at the bottom of that section change the Default file editor to "Edit in Windows registered tool" and make sure that the "Sync with WebFOCUS" checkbox is checked. Then you need to associate in windows, the file extensions (.fex and any others that you may want) to open with VS Code. Then when you double click a file in AppStudio, the code will open in VS Code and you can edit it there. Any saved changes you make in VS Code will be synced with AppStudio, and saved to the Repository.
5) Yes and No. If you associate the .html file extension in Windows to open with VS Code as the default, then you can edit actually view/edit html code in VS Code. Downside, every time you want to open an html saved file on your computer outside of WebFOCUS, or attachment in a email, if you double click on the file, it will open in VS Code. To open it in a browser, you will need to 'Open with...' the file.
6) Some of my favorite out of the box features in VS Code are multi-line cursor (edit multiple lines of code and the same time), theme options, and Auto Save. With the Auto Save on, any changes that you make to the file in VS Code are instantly saved to the Repository.

Thanks for the replies...

I'm only a few hours into it, but I'm loving VS Code. The advantages are little, but there are so many. Like being able to compare two different files. I used to use Notepad ++ to do that! This is so great. And I like the themes you can use too (I modified an existing to suite me better).

Anyway... if you are not using VS Code, spend an hour using it and you'll be hooked.

I'm glad that you are enjoying it. It is so much nicer to work with.

The dev of the original WebFOCUS extension I referenced above, seemed to disappear. So I forked his repo and created my own extension. I have added a LOT of new code snippets and I'm adding more each day. If you want to check it out you can find it here https://marketplace.visualstud...Name=steebn.webfocus

I know this thread is closed but I thought I share. Word around the campfire is that WebFOCUS 8.205 may have a whole new browser based editor that'll have things like:

Language Recognition for FOCUS, R, Python, CSS, HTML, Javascript

Autocomplete, Code Folding, Indent Guides, Line Numbering


Exciting!

BabakNYC,

That's good to hear, but by the time it actually comes out, everyone will be using other things. Not to mention once it does, IBI will have to utilize their customers for free QA for the first few "GA" releases before it will probably be usable.

Also, guessing we probably won't be able to extend it beyond what IBI releases; and if there isn't a dark theme, that's auto-magically going to make the decision for me not to use it. Hence, sticking to VS Code and our own extensions for such. Full power vs limited power with the requirement to wait for others to push their idea of what we want.

If IBI wants to impress those of us that can't rely on GUIs with forced validations that get in the way, that require like 40 clicks to do something that can be done in 1 line of code, make an official VS Code extension that allows us to connect to our environments from VS Code (having a custom panel for such) without having to install that which is AppStudio to make a connection.

quote:

Originally posted by Hallway:
I'm glad that you are enjoying it. It is so much nicer to work with.

The dev of the original WebFOCUS extension I referenced above, seemed to disappear. So I forked his repo and created my own extension. I have added a LOT of new code snippets and I'm adding more each day. If you want to check it out you can find it here https://marketplace.visualstud...Name=steebn.webfocus

THANKS AGAIN! Yes, that deserves caps...

Loving your extension. You may like to change the version number though, its the same as Venkata's.

Excellent. I'm glad that you like it.

I did just push a newer version 0.3.0 to the marketplace that changed the logo (not sure if I could legally use the WebFOCUS logo) and put in a disclaimer. I also added a few more snippets for: SUM, PRINT, LIST, COUNT, RANKED, COMPUTE.

#HallwayFTW #NOICE #ImLovinIt

Excellent extension Hallway! I just gave it a positive review.

Moving away from the extension for a bit... Are there any other extensions that you folks find particularly helpful/fun? I'm using 'Bookmarks', 'Color Highlight' and 'AutoHotkey' (I use AHK to simulate repeated key strokes, I talk about in this thread http://forums.informationbuild...37017096#2837017096).

Thanks again!

Here is the list of VS Code extensions I use/have installed:

- C/C++ and C# support (by Microsoft); // obvious
- Debugger for Chrome (by Microsoft); // Allows for all sorts of cool support w/Chrome
- Excel Viewer (by GrapeCity); // Really cool ext that helps when working with Excel docs and more
- GitHub Issues (by Microsoft); // obvious
- GitHub Pull Requests (by GitHub); // obvious
- Material Icon Theme (by Philipp Kief); // Adds lots of really nice file, folder and language icons to the editor
- Power Mode (by Cody Hoover); // Adds some fun/cool effects to your keystrokes on screen as you type
- PowerShell (by Microsoft); // obvious
- SQL Server (mssql) (by Microsoft); // obvious
- Visual Studio Team Services (by Microsoft); // obvious
- VS Live Share (by Microsoft); // Lets you collaborate in real time,regardless of location together. See each other type, etc. REALLY NICE/COOL!
- VS Live Share Audio (by Microsoft); // Allows for voice chat as you collaborate via Live Share (there's an extension pack that adds Slack integration if you want to IM)
- WebFOCUS (by Steven Hall); // Eradicates AppStudio from people's lives, heals wounds, calms babies, stops wars, reduces hair loss, stress, anger, and increases general well being & happiness...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: CoolGuy,

Love using VS Code... However... I find that sometimes saves don't stick. I've tried to sign out of the server (in AppStudio) and back and that sometimes fixes things. Today however I can't seem to save anything. I've tried to shut down AppStudio and VS Code with no success.

I have checked off 'Sync with WebFOCUS' btw. Any fixes for this? My AppStudio install is local on my machine. The client and reporting server are remote.

quote:

Originally posted by Shingles:
Love using VS Code... However... I find that sometimes saves don't stick. I've tried to sign out of the server (in AppStudio) and back and that sometimes fixes things. Today however I can't seem to save anything. I've tried to shut down AppStudio and VS Code with no success.

I have checked off 'Sync with WebFOCUS' btw. Any fixes for this? My AppStudio install is local on my machine. The client and reporting server are remote.

OK nvm... seems to be working now, but I haven't done anything different outside of hitting CTRL+S like ten times.

Shingles,

I have used it w/o any issue so far. Wonder if it was something on your end. Who knows? haha Sorry man.

I'm thinking it might have something to do with the PowerMode extension.

The first time I hit CTRL+S a firework goes off (via PowerMode), and subsequent CTRL+Ss does not have the firework and it seems to be working then. So I don't know... I'm ok to hit save a few extra times... or remove PowerMode (but its so fun)!

FYI, I just tried removing PowerMode, and it saves normally now... fluke? Maybe... idk. I'm going to keep it uninstalled for a while to see if I get that problem happens again. I'll keep you posted.

K, great. Yeah, more often than not, issues are found with conflicting extensions that have been installed that weren't written very well. I like Power Mode as well, but I have it turned off unless I want to belt out a file and get out some rage... lol