Variable Substitutions

BrightScript extension supports variable substitutions in launch.json configurations to make your debugging workflow more flexible and dynamic.

Overview

Variable substitutions allow you to avoid hardcoding values in your launch configurations. Instead of specifying static IP addresses or passwords, you can use variables that are resolved at runtime.

Available Variable Substitutions

Variable Description Behavior
${promptForHost} Prompts you to enter or select a host IP address Shows input dialog or device picker when debugging starts
${promptForPassword} Prompts you to enter the device password Shows password input dialog when debugging starts
${activeHost} Uses the currently active device Automatically uses pre-configured device, or prompts if none set
${host} References the resolved host value Can be used in other fields like deepLinkUrl

${promptForHost} - Interactive Host Selection

The most common variable substitution. When used, VS Code will:

{
    "host": "${promptForHost}"
}

${promptForPassword} - Interactive Password Entry

Prompts for the developer password when debugging starts:

{
    "password": "${promptForPassword}"
}

${activeHost} - Smart Device Selection

New! Uses the currently active device without prompting, but gracefully falls back to prompting if no device is set. This provides the best of both worlds: convenience when you have a preferred device, flexibility when you don't.

Basic Usage

{
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
            "type": "brightscript",
            "name": "Launch with Current Device",
            "request": "launch",
            "host": "${activeHost}",
            "password": "${promptForPassword}",
            "rootDir": "${workspaceFolder}",
            "files": [
                "manifest",
                "source/**/*.*",
                "components/**/*.*",
                "images/**/*.*"
            ]
        }
    ]
}

Requirements

To use ${activeHost} optimally, you should set an active device using one of these methods:

  1. Via Command Palette:

    • Open Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P)
    • Type "BrightScript: Set Active Device"
    • Enter the IP address of your Roku device

  2. Via Device List:

    • Use the Roku Devices view in the sidebar to select a device (if device discovery is enabled)

  3. Via Debugging Session:

    • The active device is automatically set when you start a debugging session with ${promptForHost}

Fallback Handling

If you use ${activeHost} but no active device is set, it will automatically fallback to prompting for host selection (same behavior as ${promptForHost}).

This provides a seamless experience: