How about the launch wizard has radio-buttons for (a) specify a data file (b) prompt for data file on every run. If you choose (a) you would specify the file in the wizard. I think (a) should be the default behavior.
That way there's no magic launch.config syntax anyone needs to understand or remember. The same thing *could* be done for the primary schema file, but honestly I think that's just confusing. On Mon, Aug 26, 2024 at 12:52 PM Larry Barber <larry.bar...@nteligen.com> wrote: > > I agree that this stuff is confusing, but I love the configuration setting > that prompts me for the data file. > It allows me to test different data files quickly and easily. I would hate > having to create a different launch config file every time I wanted to parse > a different file. > > -----Original Message----- > From: Mike Beckerle <mbecke...@apache.org> > Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2024 3:38 PM > To: dev@daffodil.apache.org > Subject: Re: [DISCUSS] Apache Daffodil™ Extension for Visual Studio Code > Launch Wizard Enhancement > > I wonder if you could just document some of VSCode's idiosyncratic > terminology and avoid this. I also have a suggestion below about what I think > is very confusing about the default launch configuration. > > re: Terminology, explain that VSCode uses the term "launch" in multiple ways. > > To "launch" (verb) means to execute a DFDL parse, which can be with or > without the DFDL debugger. This requires first that settings (for > launching) are specified. > > The words "the launch" (noun) means "specific settings for launching" > within the launch.config file. > > There are two kinds of launches - execute DFDL parse with debugger, aka "to > debug", and run without debugger, aka just "to run". > > The "launch wizard" is currently actually a launch-configuration editor. It > does not cause any run to happen. That's done separately via the "run" button > (on left). Adding buttons to the launch config editor to enable running or > debugging directly isn't the problem. > > What is very confusing is that the default launch configuration that is > created automatically doesn't contain a launch configuration, but actually a > meta-launch configuration that instead prompts the user, every time, for a > data file, schema file, etc. Very confusing that it creates a launch > configuration that isn't a launch configuration because it doesn't contain > the settings for the primary things that one needs to configure to use DFDL > to parse and debug a parse, which are the data file and the schema. > > I found this VERY confusing and unnatural. In the creation of a launch > configuration, I expect a wizard to prompt you for the data file and schema > file once and then it should generate the launch configuration file that > locks those down so that repeating the run action does not re-prompt you. > > The "advanced" functionality that I expect users *never* need, is the ability > for a launch configuration to prompt for a file or schema each time it is > run. If you want that, you should have to hand-edit the launch.config file > to obtain that. Most users would never even need to know this late-bound > prompting-for-files behavior is possible from a launch configuration. > > On Thu, Aug 8, 2024 at 11:42 AM Shane Dell <shaned...@apache.org> wrote: > > > > Hello all, > > > > This email is to discuss a potential enhancement to the Launch Wizard > > for the Apache Daffodil™ Extension for Visual Studio Code. Right now > > the Launch Wizard provides an interface that allows the user to > > configure the different settings for passing to the debugger. The > > possible enhancement I want to discuss here is adding the ability to > > run a Run or Debug of a configuration directly from the Launch Wizard. > > Moreover, this would mean most likely adding two new buttons, these > > being "Run Config" and "Debug Config". Based on the button clicked > > will determine if a Run or Debug is processed. When these buttons are > > pressed the current config will be Ran or Debugged but for both it > > will also save the current config to the launch.json, once run or > > debug finish it should bring you back to the Launch Wizard on the same > > config. Any problems, complaints, concerns or additional ideas to add? > > Note: This would most likely be targeted to be a part of 1.4.1 or 1.5.0 and > > not the 1.4.0 milestone. > > > > Thank you, > > > > Shane Dell
