How do I access context key values in vscode extension?

Question

Description

I am setting a configPath context variable using...

const configPath = '/some/file/path.yml';
vscode.commands.executeCommand(
  'setContext',
  'ext.configPath',
  configPath
);

... which can be used within when properties in package.json. For example, "when": "ext.configPath".

Problem

I cannot seem to obtain the value for string interpolation, or programmatically.

Ask

I would like to know...

1. How to interpolate the context variable value within a string in the package.json file. For example, for tree data title...

{
  "id": "ext.treedata.accounts",
  "name": "Accounts - ${context:ext.configPath}",
  "when": "ext.configPath"
}

... I would expect the title to read Accounts - /some/file/path.yml.

2. How to obtain the context variable value programmatically. For example...

const configPath = vscode.getContext('ext.configPath');
console.log(configPath); // Outputs: /some/file/path.yml

I've tried using ${context:ext.configPath} to interpolate, and I've tried looking for getContext methods. I've also tried searching the vscode extension development docs.

Answer 1

There is no getContext API/command, unfortunately. There is however, an open issue (https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/issues/10471), but no ETA.

So, in your case, you will have to store that value somewhere. Depending on your scenarios, maybe you could take advantage of workspaceState or globalState Mementos.

Hope this helps