Path to Terminal

Path to Terminal is a VS Code extension that sends the active file path or selected line range to the integrated terminal using absolute paths.

Built for file-based conversations with AI agents inside VS Code: when you want to ask about a file, point an agent at a specific range, or give an instruction tied to code, Path to Terminal lets you send that file reference to the terminal immediately and continue the command you are building.

Why I Built It

I made this extension to make file references faster to use when working with AI agents. In that workflow, I often want to point to a file, a line, or a line range while asking a question or giving an instruction. Instead of retyping or manually copying those references, I want the exact path ready in the terminal so I can keep moving.

Features

• Send the current file path to the terminal in the format /absolute/path/to/file.ts
• Send the current selection to the terminal in the format /absolute/path/to/file.ts:10-20
• Send the last active file path from anywhere, even when focus has moved away from the editor
• Send a selected file or folder path from the Explorer or Open Editors context menu
• Reuse the active terminal when one exists, or create a new one when needed
• Leave the text unexecuted so you can append it to an existing command

Commands

• path-to-terminal.sendAbsoluteSelectionToTerminal
• path-to-terminal.sendAbsoluteFilePathToTerminal
• path-to-terminal.sendLastActiveFilePathToTerminal

The file path command works from the active editor and from the sidebar when you right-click a file or folder in Explorer or Open Editors.

Default Keybindings

• Cmd+L / Ctrl+L: send the selected line reference, or the active file path when nothing is selected
• Cmd+L / Ctrl+L also works when a file or folder is focused in Explorer or Open Editors
• Cmd+Shift+L / Ctrl+Shift+L: send the last active file-backed editor path from anywhere in VS Code

Examples

• Single line: /Users/example/project/src/extension.ts:42
• Multi-line selection: /Users/example/project/src/extension.ts:10-20
• File path only: /Users/example/project/src/extension.ts

Development

npm install
npm test