How to display current values of VS Code's predefined variables (such as "${workspaceFolder}" or "${fileWorkspaceFolder}")?

Question

I am facing an issue with VS code debugger while trying to debug some angular typescript source code, and I think the reason is that some of those VS Code Variables have the wrong value - as suggested here.

I'd like to follow that advice, but I see no way how to query the VS code variables (e.g. display the current values of these variables for my project).

One of these variables is

${workspaceFolder}

They are used in VS code's config files, for this example in the launch.json file.

Do you know if there is a way to display those values? For example, log the values or show them in an alert window would just be sufficient for me to troubleshoot it.

Solution

Old answer:

There may be a better way but you could run a

//  "preLaunchTask": "Echo vars" in your debug launch like:

{
    "name": "Chrome : Launch with sourcemaps",
    "type": "chrome",
    "request": "launch",
    "url": "http://localhost:3000",
    "webRoot": "${workspaceRoot}",
    "sourceMaps": true,
    "runtimeArgs": [
    "--remote-debugging-port=9222"
    ],
    "preLaunchTask": "Echo vars"
},

in your launch task and then in tasks.json add:

{
   "label": "Echo vars",
   "command": "echo",
   "args": [
     "${env:USERNAME}",
     "workspaceFolder = ${workspaceFolder}"
   ],
   "type": "shell"
},

Those values will be echoed to the terminal.

---

---

EDIT:

Because a later version of vscode now supports sending variables to the terminal this simpler keybinding will print out values in the terminal:

[
    {
        "key":  "alt+q",
        "command": "workbench.action.terminal.sendSequence",
        "args": {
            // "text": "echo ${env:USERNAME}",  // this works
            "text" : "echo file = '${file}' : workspaceFolder = '${workspaceFolder}'\u000D"
        }
    }
]

then Alt-q prints out the values.

The \u000D at the end is just a return.

Comments

[VonC]

With VSCode 1.52 (Nov. 2020), you will have ${fileWorkspaceFolder}.

[Matt]

That sounds good. Could you show me how to setup that launch task, please? Do you mean <br/> Terminal -> Configure Tasks... ?

[Matt]

Yep, that worked, thank you. After adding it to the tasks.json config, I ran Terminal -> Run Task... -> "Echo vars" and then "Never scan..." and it got displayed inside the terminal window.

[Mark]

I just meant you could add the task as a preLaunchTask right in your debug launch.json file. Just in case some variable values change when called through the debug launch rather than a straight task as you did. But both work.

[Matt]

I see, didn't think of that. Thank you for the hint!

[Matt]

Regarding the Edit: Excellent hint, Mark! For those who had difficulties finding it (like me): To configure keyboard shortcuts the way you want, open Keyboard Shortcuts editor (File -> Preferences -> Keyboard Shortcuts) and click on the {} button on the right of the editor title bar. See here