Represence Code Extension

The VS Code extension for Represence - provides presence detection by sharing file information via WebSocket.

🚀 Quick Start

Installation

Option 1: Install from VSIX file

1. Download the represence-vscode-0.0.2.vsix file
2. Open VS Code
3. Go to Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X or Cmd+Shift+X)
4. Click the "..." menu and select "Install from VSIX..."
5. Select the downloaded .vsix file

Option 2: Command line installation

code --install-extension represence-vscode-0.0.2.vsix

First Time Setup

1. After installation, the extension automatically starts a WebSocket server on port 3847
2. You'll see a notification: "Represence WebSocket server started on port 3847"
3. The extension is now broadcasting your current file information!

📡 How It Works

The extension creates a WebSocket server that broadcasts information about your currently active file to any connected clients. This is perfect for:

• Live coding sessions - Show others what file you're working on
• Presence detection - Let external applications know your current context
• Development tools - Integration with custom dashboards or monitoring systems

What Information is Shared?

The extension broadcasts a JSON object with:

{
  "filename": "example.js",
  "extension": ".js", 
  "path": "/full/path/to/example.js",
  "language": "javascript",
  "lineCount": 42,
  "wordCount": 156,
  "timestamp": "2024-01-01T12:00:00.000Z"
}

🔧 Configuration

Settings

Access settings via:

• Command Palette: Ctrl+Shift+P → "Configure Represence Extension"
• Or go to: File → Preferences → Settings → Search for "fileInfo"

Available Settings:

Setting	Default	Description
fileInfo.websocketPort	3847	WebSocket server port (1024-65535)
fileInfo.enableLogging	false	Enable verbose logging in developer console

Environment Variable Override

Environment variable support has been removed. Use VS Code settings instead.

Priority order: VS Code Setting > Default (3847)

🎮 Usage

Commands

Access these via Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P or Cmd+Shift+P):

Command	Description
Show Current File Info	Display current file information in a popup
Configure Represence Extension	Open extension settings

Real-time Updates

The extension automatically sends updates when:

• ✅ You switch to a different file
• ✅ You make changes to the current file
• ✅ You open/close files

🔌 Connecting to the WebSocket

JavaScript/Node.js Example

const WebSocket = require('ws');

const ws = new WebSocket('ws://localhost:3847');

ws.on('open', () => {
    console.log('Connected to Represence');
});

ws.on('message', (data) => {
    const fileInfo = JSON.parse(data);
    console.log('Current file:', fileInfo.filename);
    console.log('Language:', fileInfo.language);
    console.log('Lines:', fileInfo.lineCount);
});

Python Example

import websocket
import json

def on_message(ws, message):
    file_info = json.loads(message)
    print(f"Current file: {file_info['filename']}")
    print(f"Language: {file_info['language']}")
    print(f"Lines: {file_info['lineCount']}")

def on_open(ws):
    print("Connected to Represence")

ws = websocket.WebSocketApp("ws://localhost:3847",
                          on_message=on_message,
                          on_open=on_open)
ws.run_forever()

🛠️ Troubleshooting

Port Already in Use

If you see "Failed to start WebSocket server on port 3847. Port might be in use":

1. Change the port: Go to settings and change fileInfo.websocketPort to a different number
2. Kill the process: Find what's using the port:

   # Linux/Mac
   lsof -i :3847
   # Windows
   netstat -ano | findstr :3847

Extension Not Working

1. Check developer console: Help → Toggle Developer Tools → Console tab
2. Enable logging: Set fileInfo.enableLogging to true in settings
3. Reload VS Code: Command Palette → "Developer: Reload Window"

Connection Issues

• Ensure your firewall allows connections on the configured port
• Test the WebSocket connection with a simple client (see examples above)
• Check that no other application is using the same port

🔄 Development

Building from Source

git clone <repository-url>
cd represence-vscode
npm install
npm run compile

Packaging

npm install -g vsce
vsce package

Testing

1. Press F5 in VS Code to launch Extension Development Host
2. Test the extension in the new window
3. Check the debug console for logs

📄 License

This extension is open source. Check the repository for license details.

🤝 Contributing

Found a bug or want to add a feature? Contributions are welcome!

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Happy coding with Represence! 🎉