Packaging a GLPS application

[PatrikN-work]

How can i package a GLSP application, i.e. the server and client, as a VSCode extension, ie. an .vsix file?

For example the https://github.com/eclipse-glsp/glsp-examples/tree/master/project-templates/node-json-theia

[tortmayr]

Hi @PatrikN-work,

in the current state the project templates are no ready for packing/publishing.
The offical VS Code documentation contains a quite detailed guide on how to publish extensions.
In general, the vsce CLI tool is used for creating a packed .vsix file and publishing to the VSCode market place.
In theory, you can package the extension as is with vsce, however, it is recommended do to bundle the extension content into a single file (https://code.visualstudio.com/api/working-with-extensions/bundling-extension). This reduces the overall extension size and removes not needed dependencies.

I have prepared a demo branch for the node-json-vscode project template that adapts the code so that the extension can be packaged efficiently: https://github.com/eclipse-glsp/glsp-examples/tree/packing-demo
The changes include:

• bundling of the main extension with webpack
• Adpating the code base to correctly use the bundled files
• Adding vsce as dependeny and providing a package script to create a vsix file.

If you checkout the branch and execute yarn package in the glsp-client (after building) a *.vsix file should be generated in the extension folder.

I have also opened a discussion to improve the project-templates with regard to packaging for the upcoming 2.0 release.

BR, Tobias

[rsoika]

@PatrikN-work, you can also have a look in our VS-Code Integration project. It may give you maybe some ideas and code snippets which you may reuse.

[PatrikN-work]

Thanks,

When is v2.0 out and what are the anticipated changes?

[tortmayr]

The 2.0.0 Release is schedules for end of June/Beginning of July and provides
a lot of new features, bugfixes and usability improvements.

A complete Release Note with a detailled
change log is not yet available but here is a rough overview of the anticipated changes:

• Various bugfixes across all components
• Update to the latest sprotty release version
• Lots of new features for the theia & vscode integration
• A lot of efforts where made to align the node sever implemenation with the Java variant. Both server flavors are
  now more ore less feature identicall
• Generic undo/redo support for node-based servers
• Support for running glsp servers directly in the browser via webworker (without the need for a backend process)
• and many, many more improvements

[PatrikN-work]

Sorry for reviving another thread.

When I try this: https://github.com/eclipse-glsp/glsp-examples/tree/packing-demo i get this when installing the extension.

When I open a file it is trying to load but nothing more.

Any help is appreciated

[rsoika]

This looks to me like your server is not running.

[PatrikN-work]

I guess, but i was under the impression that the setup that @tortmayr provided was complete and included that as well. Or am I missing something else?

It looks like the right things are generated in dist but I'm not sure what is picked up by vsce

[tortmayr]

Hi @PatrikN-work,
it seems like there was indeed something misconfigured which in the end lead to an incomplete vsix (without the server bundles).
I have created a PR that fixes this and adds packaging support to the node-json-vsocde template.

You can now create the vsix by calling yarn package from the root.
Could you please test it out and let me know if it works for you? Feel free to directly comment to the PR.

[PatrikN-work]

Hi @tortmayr ,

Just tried it and it seems to work fine now. Thanks!

/Patrik