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https://github.com/lukejmorrison/code2md

VS Code extension to convert code files to Markdown for Efficent and less costly AI prompting
https://github.com/lukejmorrison/code2md

Last synced: 2 months ago
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VS Code extension to convert code files to Markdown for Efficent and less costly AI prompting

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README 

        
# Code to Markdown (Code2Markdown) Extension for Visual Studio Code



The Code2Markdown Extension lets you convert selected code files in VS Code into a single Markdown file. Each file's content is wrapped in a syntax-highlighted code block, making it ideal for documentation, sharing, or archiving code snippets. It's especially useful for preparing code in an AI-friendly format for prompts.



## Why use Code2Markdown?



### Benefits for AI Prompts

- **Efficient Token Usage**: Markdown's lightweight syntax minimizes token counts, reducing costs with AI services.

- **Easy for AI to Understand**: Plain-text format with language identifiers (e.g., ```python) helps AI parse code accurately.

- **Organized and Readable**: Structure your codebase with headers and sections for clarity.

- **Faster Processing**: Markdown requires no preprocessing, speeding up AI response times.



### How Code2Markdown Saves Time and Money

- **One-Click Markdown Creation**: Automatically formats code into Markdown with proper code blocks.

- **Token Optimization**: Clean output reduces token usage, lowering costs.

- **Reduced Processing Time**: Structured Markdown helps AI understand your code faster.

- **Cost Savings**: Lower token counts and quicker interactions save money for programmers using AI services.



## Features

- Generate Markdown files from multiple files via the Command Palette or Explorer context menu.

- **Table of Contents**: Automatically generates a TOC with links to each included file.

- Unique file naming with timestamps and versioning to prevent overwrites.

- Syntax highlighting based on file extensions (e.g., `.ts` → `typescript`, `.py` → `python`, `.rs` → `rust`).

- Display of relative file paths for better context.

- Detailed logging for troubleshooting.



## Installation from VS Code



You can install the Code2Markdown Extension directly from the VS Code Marketplace within VS Code:



1. Open VS Code.

2. Click the Extensions icon in the Activity Bar or press `Ctrl+Shift+X` (Windows/Linux) or `Cmd+Shift+X` (macOS).

3. Search for `Code2Markdown`.

4. Look for "Code2Markdown Extension" by WIZWAM.

5. Click **Install**.



Alternatively, you can install it via the VS Code Quick Open command:

1. Open Quick Open with `Ctrl+P` (Windows/Linux) or `Cmd+P` (macOS).

2. Paste the following command and press Enter:

   ```

   ext install WIZWAM.Code2Markdown-Wizwam

   ```



## Installation from GitHub Repository



To install and test the extension directly from the GitHub repository, follow these steps:



1. **Clone the Repository**:

   - Clone the repository to your local machine:

     ```bash

     git clone https://github.com/lukejmorrison/code2md.git

     ```

   - Alternatively, download the repository as a ZIP file and extract it to a folder named `code2md`.



2. **Install Dependencies**:

   - Open a terminal in the `code2md` directory.

   - Run the following command to install the required dependencies:

     ```bash

     npm install

     ```



3. **Compile the Extension**:

   - Compile the TypeScript code into JavaScript:

     ```bash

     npm run compile

     ```

   - Alternatively, use `npm run watch` to automatically recompile on changes.



4. **Test the Extension in VS Code**:

   - Open the `code2md` folder in VS Code.

   - Press `F5` to launch a new VS Code window with the extension loaded.

   - Use the Command Palette or context menu to test Markdown generation.



## Usage



### Using the Command Palette

1. Open the Command Palette (`Ctrl+Shift+P` on Windows/Linux, `Cmd+Shift+P` on macOS).

2. Type `Generate Markdown from Files` and select it.

3. Choose one or more files in the file picker.

4. A Markdown file (e.g., `2023-10-25_0230PM_MyProject_v01.md`) will be created in the `codereview` folder.



### Using Folder Selection (Recommended for Multiple Files)

1. Open the Command Palette (`Ctrl+Shift+P` on Windows/Linux, `Cmd+Shift+P` on macOS).

2. Type `Generate Markdown from Folder` and select it.

3. Choose a folder containing the files you want to include.  

   **Note**: Select the folder itself, not individual files within it.

4. Enter the file extensions to include (e.g., `rs,toml,html`).

5. The extension will recursively find all matching files and generate a Markdown file in the `codereview` folder.



### Using the Context Menu

1. In the Explorer, select one or more files using `Ctrl+Click` (Windows/Linux) or `Cmd+Click` (macOS) for multiple selections.

2. Right-click and choose `Generate Markdown from Selected Files`.

3. A Markdown file with a Table of Contents and all selected files will be generated in the `codereview` folder:

   ```

   your-project/

   └── codereview/

       ├── 2025-03-19_0257PM_MyProject_v01.md    # Generated markdown file

       └── 2025-03-19_0257PM_MyProject_v01.log    # Corresponding log file

   ```

   **Note**: If multiple file selection doesn't work, use the "Generate Markdown from Folder" command instead.



### Output Format

The generated Markdown includes:

- A project title based on the workspace name.

- A Table of Contents with links to each file section.

- File sections with relative paths and syntax-highlighted code blocks.

- All output files are stored in a `codereview` folder:

  ```

  your-project/

  ├── codereview/

  │   ├── 2025-03-19_0257PM_MyProject_v01.md    # Generated markdown file

  │   └── 2025-03-19_0257PM_MyProject_v01.log    # Corresponding log file

  ├── src/

  └── ...

  ```



## Troubleshooting

- **Log Files**: Check detailed logs in the `codereview` folder (e.g., `codereview/2025-03-19_0257PM_MyProject_v01.log`).

- **Output Location**: All generated files are stored in a `codereview` folder in your workspace.

- **Output Panel**: Open the Output panel in VS Code (`Ctrl+Shift+U`), select "Extension Host," and look for `[code2md]` messages.

- **Common Issues**:

  - **No files selected**: Ensure you select files or a folder as required by the command.

  - **Multiple file selection issues**: Use the "Generate Markdown from Folder" command if `Ctrl+Click` fails.

  - **Permission errors**: Verify VS Code has write access to create and write to the `codereview` directory.



## Development

- **Build**: Run `npm run compile` or `npm run watch`.

- **Folder Structure**:

  ```

  code2md/

  ├── src/                 # Source code

  │   └── extension.ts     # Main extension code

  ├── codereview/          # Generated markdown and log files

  │   ├── YYYY-MM-DD_HHMMAM_Project_v01.md

  │   └── YYYY-MM-DD_HHMMAM_Project_v01.log

  ├── out/                 # Compiled JavaScript (generated)

  │   ├── extension.js     # Compiled extension

  │   └── extension.js.map # Source map

  ├── examples/            # Example files for testing

  ├── images/              # Extension icon

  │   └── code2md-icon.png

  ├── node_modules/        # Dependencies (generated)

  ├── .vscode/             # VS Code settings

  ├── package.json         # Project configuration and dependencies

  ├── package-lock.json    # Dependency lock file

  ├── tsconfig.json        # TypeScript compiler configuration

  └── README.md            # Project documentation

  ```



## License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details.