Record and replay live coding

[nicoespeon]

Is this request related to a problem? Please describe.

When I present code, I want to focus on what I say. Thus, I like to record the code in advance, so I can make it appear progressively in VS Code without thinking too much about the typing.

Today, I use https://github.com/jevakallio/vscode-hacker-typer to record and replay code.

But it has some bugs and missing features. Despite having open issues and PRs, the extension seems to be abandoned. I proposed my help to the author, but he doesn't seem to have time to dedicate to the project anymore.

So I need to scratch my own itch and implement the features I need, directly into Slides.

Describe the solution you'd like

At least, a way to:

• Record code and save the macro.
• Replay a macro.
  • On keypress, it inserts the next character at the correct position instead. So I can pretend typing, the code will be rewritten regardless the keypresses.

Nice-to-have features would be:

• Ability to insert stops during the record. When we hit a stop on replay, keypresses will work again until we press a specific key to continue replaying the macro.
• Write all code until next stop on click, so I don't need to pretend typing and I can make the code appear with my clicker.
• Export and import macros, so I can change computer.
• Make it possible to stop during replay with a specific key. That will behave like a stop that would have been recorded, so I can insert new code.
• Make it possible to exit a replay completely, so we don't have to finish it.
• Automatically detect the slide where the record was made, so it starts replay automatically when we enter the slide and its state matches initial state of the macro.
• Being able to rewind the replay (go to previous keypress / stop).

[etbrow]

@nicoespeon I've started playing around with a couple of approaches to get the basic functionality

[zyllus17]

Any update on the project or did you find something? I am looking for something similar.
@nicoespeon @etbrow

[nicoespeon]

Hey @zyllus17 👋

I didn't start working on it. I usually spend some time upgrading this extension when I need it. But since March, I didn't do any meetup/conference presentation because of the COVID situation. So I didn't work on that 🤷‍♂️

I can support if anyone wants to implement something. Otherwise, I'll likely do it the next time I need this feature.

Note that https://github.com/jevakallio/vscode-hacker-typer was good enough for me to run a presentation, so that could do for you.