How to open file and insert text using the VSCode API

Question

How can I open a new read-only text file in tab and insert some formatted text in that file using the Visual Studio Code API?

I didnt find any example regarding this to add simple text

Following is my code that opens some untitled file.

var setting: vscode.Uri = vscode.Uri.parse("untitled:" + "C:\summary.txt");
vscode.workspace.openTextDocument(setting).then((a: vscode.TextDocument) => {
    vscode.window.showTextDocument(a, 1, false);
}, (error: any) => {
    console.error(error);
    debugger;
});

Please give the simple example that can be added to these lines to add the text. As the official examples are little complex.

do not use `Uri.parse` for files. Use `Uri.file`. File name/path might contain `#` character — rioV8, Feb 20 '20 at 16:16

score 40 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 27 '16 at 16:53

40

The following should give you the idea

...
var setting: vscode.Uri = vscode.Uri.parse("untitled:" + "C:\summary.txt");
vscode.workspace.openTextDocument(setting).then((a: vscode.TextDocument) => {
    vscode.window.showTextDocument(a, 1, false).then(e => {
        e.edit(edit => {
            edit.insert(new vscode.Position(0, 0), "Your advertisement here");
        });
    });
}, (error: any) => {
    console.error(error);
    debugger;
});
...

answered Aug 27 '16 at 16:53

DAXaholic

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So how to insert a text in active document ? – Saravana Kumar Apr 08 '20 at 11:36
1

@SaravanaKumar get editor using `const e = vscode.window.activeTextEditor;` then you can use `e.edit()` as in DAXaholic's answer – Nishan Oct 15 '21 at 21:29
Is there also a way to add text coming from API? – limitcracker Dec 07 '21 at 20:07

score 5 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 15 '21 at 23:21

5

In adition to DAXaholic's answer, If you want to insert text to the active editor, vscode.window.activeTextEditor can be used.

function enterText(text: string) {
    const editor = vscode.window.activeTextEditor;
    if (editor) {
        editor.edit(editBuilder => {
            editBuilder.insert(editor.selection.active, text);
        });
    }
}

In my example text is inserted to the currunt curser position.

answered Oct 15 '21 at 23:21

Nishan

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just what I needed, thanks! – Boris Verkhovskiy Jan 07 '22 at 22:52

How to open file and insert text using the VSCode API

2 Answers2