Auto Terminal

Run sets of terminal commands in bulk. Quickly set up terminal tabs, run command flows, navigate directories, and more.

Usage

1. Open your workspace in VS Code.
2. Create a terminal.config.json file in the root of your workspace.
3. Open the command palette cmd + shift + p
4. Type Auto Terminal: Action and select an action.

Terminal Configuration File

Start by defining terminal configurations, either:

• create a terminal.config.json file at the root of your workspace

• select a template file:

  • Open the command palette cmd + shift + p
  • Select Auto Terminal: Template

Example:

{
  // action name
  "setup": [
    {
      "tab": "frontend", // terminal tab name
      "commands": ["cd Frontend", "npm i", "clear", "code app/page.tsx"], // array of commands
      "description": "Install npm packages" // optional description
    },
    {
      "tab": "backend",
      "commands": [
        "cd Backend",
        "source venv/bin/activate",
        "pip install -r requirements.txt",
        "clear"
      ],
      "description": "Install requirements.txt"
    }
  ],
  // If Auto Terminal: Run Open Commands On Startup setting is true, "open" commands will run on workspace launch
  "open": [
    {
      "tab": "git",
      "commands": ["git branch"],
      "description": "Display the current branch"
    },
    {
      "tab": "frontend",
      "commands": ["cd Frontend"],
      "description": "Open a terminal for frontend"
    },
    {
      "tab": "backend",
      "commands": ["cd Backend", "source venv/bin/activate"],
      "description": "Open a terminal for backend"
    }
  ],
  "start": [
    {
      "tab": "frontend",
      "commands": ["clear", "npm run dev"],
      "description": "Run the frontend"
    },
    {
      "tab": "backend",
      "commands": ["clear", "python manage.py runserver"],
      "description": "Run the backend"
    }
  ]
}

Terminal Configuration Templates

Add a template terminal.config.json file to your workspace:

1. Open the command palette. cmd + shift + p
2. Type Auto Terminal: Template and select a template option.

Add re-usable custom templates:

1. Open your User settings cmd + ,
2. Search for Auto Terminal: Custom Templates
3. Add a new key-value pair to the customTemplates object, where the key is the template name and the value is the template itself.

"autoTerminal.customTemplates": {
    "custom template name": {
      "actionName": [
        {
          "tab": "",
          "commands": [],
          "description": ""
        }
      ],
      "actionName2": [
        {
          "tab": "",
          "commands": [],
          "description": ""
        }
      ]
    }
  }

4. The custom template will now appear as an option when running command Auto Terminal: Template

Extra Settings

Auto Run Commands on Startup

When the Auto Terminal: Run Open Commands On Startup setting is enabled any commands specified inside the "open" action in your terminal.config.json file will be automatically executed when you open your workspace.

Quick Run Actions From Terminal

When the Auto Terminal: Add Quick Run To Terminal setting is enabled a button to quickly run Auto Term: Action will be added to the terminal menu bar.

To enable:

1. Open your workspace settings (Code/File > Settings/Preferences > Settings).
2. Search for Auto Terminal: Run Open Commands On Startup or Add Quick Run To Terminal.
3. Check the box to enable the setting.

Special Commands

Special commands that can be used to perform actions beyond standard command input. These always begin with "*".

Command	Description	Usage
*stop	Stops a running process.	"commands": ["*stop"]
*close	Closes the terminal.	"commands": ["*close"]
*delay	Delays next command.	"commands": ["*delay 1000"]
*alert	Creates a notification.*	"commands": ["*alert remember to open PR"]

* there can only be 3 alert windows open at a time

Tips:

• If an existing terminal tab can't be found a new one will be created.