Additional Files

Additional Files

The additionalFiles setting lets you automatically create extra files when you make a package. You set up rules with conditions, and when those conditions match, the files get created.

Basic Structure

{
  "new-python-package.additionalFiles": [
    {
      "when": { /* optional conditions */ },
      "files": [ /* files to create */ ]
    }
  ]
}

---

Conditions

All conditions are optional. Skip the when block entirely and the rule always runs. If you specify multiple conditions, they all have to match.

pathMatches

Glob pattern for the package's path. This is the most useful one.

{
  "when": {
    "pathMatches": "**/modules/**"
  }
}

Some patterns:

Pattern	What it matches
**/modules/**	Any package anywhere under a modules folder
**/tests/**	Any package under tests
**/modules/{cogs,events}/**	Packages under modules/cogs or modules/events
src/modules/**	Only packages under src/modules specifically

So if you have modules/cogs/ and modules/events/, the pattern **/modules/** catches both.

nameMatches

Regex for the package name itself.

{
  "when": {
    "nameMatches": "^test_"
  }
}

Pattern	Matches
^test_	Names starting with test_
_test$	Names ending with _test
^[a-z]+$	Lowercase-only names

workspaceContains

Check if a file exists somewhere in the workspace.

{
  "when": {
    "workspaceContains": "pyproject.toml"
  }
}

Good for project-type detection.

Combining Conditions

{
  "when": {
    "pathMatches": "**/modules/cogs/**",
    "workspaceContains": "**/discord/**"
  }
}

This only triggers when BOTH are true.

---

Files

Three ways to specify content:

1. content - Inline string
2. templateFile - Load from a file
3. snippet - Insert a VS Code snippet

Basic File

{
  "files": [
    {
      "name": "${name}.py",
      "content": "# ${name:pascal} module"
    }
  ]
}

Template File

Point to a template in your workspace:

{
  "files": [
    {
      "name": "${name}.py",
      "templateFile": ".vscode/templates/module.py"
    }
  ]
}

The template file can use all the same Variables. Put your templates in .vscode/templates/ or wherever makes sense.

Snippet

Opens the file and inserts a VS Code snippet:

{
  "files": [
    {
      "name": "${name}.py",
      "snippet": "python-class"
    }
  ]
}

You get full snippet features: tabstops, placeholders, choices. Define your snippets in VS Code's user snippets.

Template + Snippet

You can combine them. Template content goes in first, then the snippet gets inserted:

{
  "files": [
    {
      "name": "${name}.py",
      "templateFile": ".vscode/templates/base.py",
      "snippet": "python-method"
    }
  ]
}

---

Multiple Files

Create several files at once:

{
  "files": [
    {
      "name": "${name}.py",
      "content": "class ${name:pascal}:\n    pass"
    },
    {
      "name": "test_${name}.py",
      "content": "import pytest\nfrom .${name} import ${name:pascal}"
    }
  ]
}

---

Full Example

{
  "new-python-package.additionalFiles": [
    {
      "when": {
        "pathMatches": "**/cogs/**"
      },
      "files": [
        {
          "name": "${name}.py",
          "templateFile": ".vscode/templates/cog.py"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "when": {
        "pathMatches": "**/tests/**"
      },
      "files": [
        {
          "name": "test_${name}.py",
          "content": "import pytest\n\n\nclass Test${name:pascal}:\n    pass"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "when": {
        "nameMatches": "^api_"
      },
      "files": [
        {
          "name": "routes.py",
          "content": "from fastapi import APIRouter\n\nrouter = APIRouter(prefix=\"/${name:slice:4:}\")"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}