Opening Files and Folders

Opening files and folders is a fundamental part of automating interactions in VS Code. The recommended approach is to use the openResources method provided by the VSBrowser API.

openResources

openResources(...args: (string | (() => void | Promise<any>))[]): Promise<void>

This method allows you to open one or more files and folders, and optionally wait for additional conditions once the workbench is loaded. It automatically waits for the workbench to be ready after opening resources.

• Single folder: Opens the folder in the explorer.
• Multiple folders: Opens a multi-root workspace.
• Files: Opens each file in a new editor tab.
• Wait function (optional): Can be passed as the last argument (sync or async) and will be executed after the workbench is ready.

Tip: Use absolute paths to avoid issues. Relative paths are resolved based on the current working directory (process.cwd()).

Example

import * as path from "path";
import { VSBrowser } from "vscode-extension-tester";

await VSBrowser.instance.openResources(
  path.resolve(__dirname, "workspace/folder1"),
  path.resolve(__dirname, "workspace/file1.ts"),
  path.resolve(__dirname, "workspace/folder2"),
  async () => {
    // Optional: Wait for your custom UI element or state
    await new Promise((res) => setTimeout(res, 3000));
  },
);

Using Dialogs

When a test triggers a native open dialog (e.g. via File > Open Folder...), VS Code shows the Simple Dialog instead — an input box for entering the path. ExTester enables this automatically through its default settings (files.simpleDialog.enable: true and window.dialogStyle: custom), so no configuration is needed — native OS dialogs cannot be driven by WebDriver.

To handle the dialog in a test, drive it like any input box:

const input = await InputBox.create();
await input.setText("/path/to/your/folder/");
await input.confirm();

Make sure to use a trailing separator for folders, otherwise confirming will only autocorrect the path and you’ll need to call it again.