/VSCode-Switcher

Tool to edit Delphi files simultaneously between Delphi IDE and Windsurf, so it allows to take advantage of the AI tab completion

Primary LanguagePascal

IDE Switcher 🔄

Windows Delphi VS Code

Seamlessly switch between Delphi IDE and VS Code/WindSurf with a single hotkey, preserving file context and cursor position. Perfect for developers who want to leverage Delphi's powerful RAD designer alongside VS Code's modern editing capabilities.

✨ Features

  • 🚀 Instant Switching: Press Ctrl+Shift+D to jump between IDEs
  • 📍 Context Preservation: Maintains exact cursor position and file location
  • 💾 Auto-Save: Automatically saves files before switching
  • ↔️ Bidirectional: Works from Delphi → VS Code and VS Code → Delphi
  • ⚡ Fast Communication: Uses Windows named pipes for < 200ms switch time
  • 🎯 Smart Focus: Automatically brings target IDE to foreground

📦 Installation

Prerequisites

  • Delphi RAD Studio (10.0 or later, tested with version 12)
  • VS Code (1.50+) or WindSurf
  • Windows 7 or later (uses Windows named pipes)

Quick Install

Option 1: From Releases (Recommended)

  1. Download the latest release from the Releases page

  2. Install Delphi Plugin

    • Open IDESwitcher.dpk in Delphi IDE
    • Right-click the project → Install
    • You should see "Package IDESwitcher.bpl has been installed"

  3. Install VS Code Extension

    # Install the VSIX file
code --install-extension ide-switcher-1.0.0.vsix

Option 2: Build from Source

See Building from Source section below.

For detailed installation steps and troubleshooting, see installation-guide.md.

🚀 Usage

  1. Open your project in both Delphi and VS Code
  2. Edit a file in either IDE
  3. Press Ctrl+Shift+D to switch

The target IDE will automatically:

  • Come to the foreground
  • Open the same file
  • Position the cursor at the exact location
  • Save any pending changes

IDE Switcher Demo

Customizing the Hotkey

Both IDEs must use the same hotkey. To change it:

Delphi: Edit DelphiIDESwitcherPlugin.pas:

BindingServices.AddKeyBinding([TextToShortCut('Ctrl+Alt+S')], ...)

VS Code: Edit package.json:

"keybindings": [{
  "command": "ide-switcher.switchToDelphi",
  "key": "ctrl+alt+s"
}]

See user-manual.md for more customization options.

🔨 Building from Source

Prerequisites

  • Node.js (14.x or later)
  • npm (comes with Node.js)
  • Delphi compiler (dcc32/dcc64)

Delphi Plugin

  1. Clone the repository
  2. Open IDESwitcher.dpk in Delphi IDE
  3. Build and install:
# Or from command line:
dcc32 -B IDESwitcher.dpk

VS Code Extension

  1. Extract embedded configs from vscode-extension-complete.ts:
# The file contains package.json and tsconfig.json in comments
# Extract them to vscode-extension/ directory
  1. Build the extension:
cd vscode-extension
npm install
npm run compile
npm install -g vsce  # If not already installed
vsce package        # Creates .vsix file

🏗️ Architecture

The system uses Windows named pipes for reliable inter-process communication:

┌─────────────┐     JSON Messages      ┌──────────────┐
│ Delphi IDE  │ ←─────────────────────→ │   VS Code    │
│   Plugin    │   Windows Named Pipes   │  Extension   │
└─────────────┘                         └──────────────┘
       ↓                                        ↓
  OTA Wizard                            TypeScript Ext
  Hotkey Hook                           Command Handler

Communication Protocol

{
  "action": "switch",
  "filePath": "C:\\Projects\\MyApp\\Unit1.pas",
  "line": 42,
  "column": 15,
  "source": "delphi",
  "timestamp": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"
}

Key Components

  • Delphi Plugin: OTA (Open Tools API) wizard with keyboard binding
  • VS Code Extension: TypeScript extension with command registration
  • Named Pipes: \\.\pipe\IDESwitcher_ToVSCode and \\.\pipe\IDESwitcher_ToDelphi
  • Thread Safety: All IDE operations synchronized to main thread

See implementation-guidelines.md for detailed technical documentation.

📚 Documentation

Document Description
Installation Guide Step-by-step setup instructions
User Manual Usage, configuration, and tips
Implementation Guidelines Technical architecture details
AI Agent Instructions Development and modification guidance

🛠️ Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Problem Solution
"Could not connect to pipe" Ensure both components are installed and IDEs are running
Wrong cursor position Check tab size settings match in both IDEs
Hotkey doesn't work Check for conflicts in IDE keyboard shortcuts
File not found Ensure using absolute paths and file exists

Debug Mode

Enable debug output to diagnose issues:

Delphi: Check Windows Debug Output (use DebugView) VS Code: View → Output → Select "IDE Switcher" channel

📋 Requirements

  • OS: Windows 7 or later (uses Windows named pipes)
  • Delphi: RAD Studio 10.0+ (requires OTA support)
  • VS Code: Version 1.50+ or WindSurf
  • Permissions: Standard user permissions (no admin required)

🤝 Contributing

We welcome contributions! Please:

  1. Fork the repository
  2. Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
  3. Read implementation-guidelines.md for architecture details
  4. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add amazing feature')
  5. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
  6. Open a Pull Request

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

🙏 Acknowledgments

  • Built for developers who need the best of both worlds: Delphi's RAD designer and VS Code's editing power
  • Thanks to the Delphi OTA documentation and VS Code extension API teams
  • Inspired by similar IDE integration tools in other ecosystems

📞 Support

Note: Remember to update yourusername in URLs to your actual GitHub username before publishing.