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I am trying to configure my Mac Book Pro (OSX El Capitan 10.11.1) to use Visual Studio Code as its default editor. I have created a ~/.bash_profile file with the following two lines

vscode () { VSCODE_CWD="$PWD" open -n -b "com.microsoft.VSCode" --args $* ;}
export VISUAL=open\ -n\ -b\ "com.microsoft.VSCode"

This works for some things: I can type vscode test.txt at the bash terminal and up pops test.txt in Visual Studio Code, and if I run the command env I see VISUAL=open -n -b com.microsoft.VSCode in the list. I can even just type $VISUAL and Visual Studio Code opens on a new empty file.

But if I type git commit I get the following error

error: cannot run com.microsoft.vscode: No such file or directory
error: unable to start editor 'com.microsoft.vscode' Please supply the
message using either -m or -F option.

So I have succeeded inasmuch as git is trying to open Visual Studio Code for me to edit my commit message but it is then failing.

What X should I use in the line export VISUAL=X in my ~/.bash_profile file to enable git to open Visual Studio Code for commit messages?

(N.B. How to use Visual Studio Code as Default Editor for Git is not a duplicate since Gary is on a Windows PC.)

Community
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dumbledad
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5 Answers5

36

Add export EDITOR="code -w" to your bash profile

(Your bash profile is accessible via open ~/.bash_profile)

This requires you to have the code binary already in your path. If you don't have that, or don't know if you do, simply go into vscode, enter CMD + SHIFT + P, type code and click Shell Command: Install 'code' command in PATH. Then do the first step.

Also, very helpful comment by pompalini below,

remember to "refresh" terminal by closing and opening it again or resourcing your bash profile by running source ~/.bash_profile. Only then will the new changes in .bash_profile apply to your terminal.

Govind Rai
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    This works, but just remember to "refresh" terminal by closing and opening it again, only then it will apply your bash_profile. Thanks – pompalini Dec 17 '18 at 22:22
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    You can also run `$ source ~/.bash_profile` instead of opening and closing the terminal. – Bryan Dimas Jul 17 '19 at 17:23
8

It's working with the latest version 0.10.9 of VS Code

[core]
editor = '/Applications/Visual Studio Code.app/Contents/MacOS/Electron' -w

Test it with: git config --global --edit. remember to refresh the terminal after you have changed the config file.

Martin Andersen
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  • Thanks Martin, do you know what the equivalent line would be on Windows? – dumbledad Mar 04 '16 at 15:40
  • It's close to the same [core] editor = 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft VS Code\\code.exe' -w [ – Martin Andersen Mar 04 '16 at 19:42
  • Strangely that didn't work for me on the PC: VS Code started fine but Git did not notice the saved commit message and aborted the commit. I'll ask a separate question – dumbledad Mar 05 '16 at 06:50
8

  1. In terminal

    • Type: open ~/.bash_profile

    • Insert: export EDITOR="code -w"

  2. In visual studio code

    • Press: CMD + SHIFT + P
    • Insert: install code and select from autocomplete menu shell command: Install 'code' in command PATH
Den
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4

1) Just add this to your ~/.bash_profile or ~/.zshrc:

code () { VSCODE_CWD="$PWD" open -n -b "com.microsoft.VSCode" --args $* ;}

2) Then either open a new terminal or run: source ~/.bash_profile or source ~/.zshrc

After this steps, you will be able to do code . to open VS Code on any path

Americo Savinon
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3

Currently VSCode can not be used as git editor, sorry. We have this as a story on our backlog.

Update for our VS Code 1.0 release:

This is now possible! All you need to do is to configure Code as the git editor using the newly introduced --wait option from the command line.

Benjamin Pasero
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