/ask-any

Ask Any is a Visual Studio Code extension that provides an interactive chat interface for asking questions to an AI model. With a live typing effect, syntax-highlighted code blocks, editable queries, and comprehensive chat history management, Ask Any helps you get answers right within your editor.

Primary LanguageHTMLApache License 2.0Apache-2.0

Ask Any

Ask Any is a Visual Studio Code extension that provides an interactive chat interface for asking questions to an AI model. With a live typing effect, syntax-highlighted code blocks, editable queries, and comprehensive chat history management, Ask Any helps you get answers right within your editor.

Features

  • Interactive Chat Interface: Type your question and watch the AI response appear with a live typing effect.
  • Edit & Regenerate Responses: Easily edit your submitted query and clear all responses below the edited message. A new AI response is generated based on your edited query.
  • **Copy Responses: **Quickly copy the entire AI response to your clipboard with a dedicated "Copy Response" button.
  • Chat History Sidebar: View, export, and delete previous chats from a sidebar. Each saved chat displays the first message and a timestamp.
  • Theme Toggle: Switch between light and dark modes for both the main interface and the sidebar.
  • Autosave Functionality: Your conversation is automatically saved so you can resume later.
  • Syntax Highlighting: Code blocks in responses are automatically syntax highlighted using highlight.js.

Installation

  1. Clone the Repository: 
    git clone https://github.com/NSTechBytes/ask-any.git
  2. Install Dependencies: Navigate to the project folder and run: 
    npm install
  3. Launch in VS Code: Open the folder in Visual Studio Code and press F5 to launch the extension in a new Extension Development Host window.

Usage

  1. Open the Chat Interface: Use the command palette (Ctrl+Shift+P or Cmd+Shift+P) and type "Ask Any" to open the chat view.

  2. Configure Settings: Click the Menu button to open the sidebar. Enter your API key, toggle the theme, or start a new chat.

  3. Ask a Question: Type your question in the input box at the bottom and click Ask or press Enter.

    • While the AI is "typing" its response, the Stop and Edit buttons are disabled.
    • When the typing effect completes, the buttons are re‑enabled.

  4. Edit & Regenerate: Click the Edit button next to your question to modify it. A Cancel button appears so you can revert changes. Once you save the edit, all responses below the edited message are cleared and a new response is generated based on your updated query.

  5. Copy a Response: Use the Copy Response button (present on every AI response) to copy the answer to your clipboard.

  6. Chat History Management: Use the sidebar to view your saved chats. You can reload a chat, export it (which opens a file save dialog via the extension backend), or delete it.

Configuration

  • API Key: Your API key is stored in local storage. Use the sidebar to update it as needed.
  • Theme Preference: Your theme setting (light or dark) is also saved locally.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please follow these steps:

  1. Fork the repository.
  2. Create a new branch for your feature or bug fix.
  3. Commit your changes and push to your fork.
  4. Open a pull request with a clear description of your changes.

License

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

Acknowledgments

  • highlight.js for syntax highlighting.
  • The VS Code community for continuous inspiration.