Custom actions in Windows Terminal

• 05/25/2021
• 24 Minuten Lesedauer
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You can create custom actions inside Windows Terminal that give you control of how you interact with the terminal. These actions will automatically be added to the command palette.

Action formats

Actions can be structured in the following formats:

Commands without arguments

{ "command": "commandName", "keys": "modifiers+key" }

For example, this default setting uses the shortcut key alt+f4 to close the terminal window:

{ "command": "closeWindow", "keys": "alt+f4" }

Commands with arguments

{ "command": { "action": "commandName", "argument": "value" }, "keys": "modifiers+key" }

For example, this default setting uses the shortcut key ctrl+shift+1 to open a new tab in the terminal based on whichever profile is listed first in your dropdown menu (typically this will open the PowerShell profile):

{ "command": { "action": "newTab", "index": 0 }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+1" }

Action properties

Actions can be constructed using the following properties.

Command

This is the command executed when the associated keys are pressed.

Property name: command

Necessity: Required

Accepts: String

Keys

This defines the key combinations used to call the command. Keys can have any number of modifiers with one key. Accepted modifiers and keys are listed below.

If the action does not have keys, it will appear in the command palette but cannot be invoked with the keyboard.

Property name: keys

Necessity: Optional

Accepts: String or array[string]

Action

This adds additional functionality to certain commands.

Property name: action

Necessity: Optional

Accepts: String

Name

This sets the name that will appear in the command palette. If one isn't provided, the terminal will attempt to automatically generate a name.

Property name: name

Necessity: Optional

Accepts: String

Icon

This sets the icon that displays within the command palette.

Property name: icon

Necessity: Optional

Accepts: File location as a string, or an emoji

Accepted modifiers and keys

Modifiers

ctrl+, shift+, alt+, win+

Modifier keys

Note: = and plus are equivalents. The latter must not be confused with numpad_plus.

Application-level commands

Close window

{ "command": "closeWindow", "keys": "alt+f4" }

Find

This opens the search dialog box. More information on search can be found on the Search page.

Command name: find

Default binding:

{ "command": "find", "keys": "ctrl+shift+f" }

Find next/previous search match

This lets you navigate through your search matches.

Command name: findMatch

Default bindings:

{ "command": { "action": "findMatch", "direction": "next" } },
{ "command": { "action": "findMatch", "direction": "prev" } }

Actions

Open the dropdown

This opens the dropdown menu.

Command name: openNewTabDropdown

Default binding:

{ "command": "openNewTabDropdown", "keys": "ctrl+shift+space" }

Open settings files

This opens either the settings UI, custom settings file (settings.json), or default settings file (defaults.json), depending on the target field. Without the target field, the custom settings file will be opened.

Command name: openSettings

Default bindings:

{ "command": { "action": "openSettings", "target": "settingsUI" }, "keys": "ctrl+," },
{ "command": { "action": "openSettings", "target": "settingsFile" }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+," },
{ "command": { "action": "openSettings", "target": "defaultsFile" }, "keys": "ctrl+alt+," },

Actions

Toggle full screen

This allows you to switch between full screen and default window sizes.

Command name: toggleFullscreen

Default bindings:

{ "command": "toggleFullscreen", "keys": "alt+enter" },
{ "command": "toggleFullscreen", "keys": "f11" }

Toggle focus mode

This allows you to enter "focus mode", which hides the tabs and title bar.

Command name: toggleFocusMode

Default binding:

{ "command": "toggleFocusMode" }

Toggle always on top mode

This allows you toggle the "always on top" state of the window. When in "always on top" mode, the window will appear on top of all other non-topmost windows.

Command name: toggleAlwaysOnTop

Default binding:

{ "command": "toggleAlwaysOnTop" }

Send input

Send arbitrary text input to the shell. As an example the input "text\n" will write "text" followed by a newline to the shell.

ANSI escape sequences may be used, but escape codes like \x1b must be written as \u001b. For instance "\u001b[A" will behave as if the up arrow button had been pressed.

Command name: sendInput

Default binding:

This command is not currently bound in the default settings.

{ "command": { "action": "sendInput", "input": "\u001b[A" }, "keys": "" }

Actions

Tab management commands

Close tab

This closes the current tab.

Command name: closeTab

Close all other tabs

This closes all tabs except for the one at an index. If no index is provided, use the focused tab's index.

Command name: closeOtherTabs

Default binding:

{ "command": "closeOtherTabs" }

Actions

Close tabs after index

This closes the tabs following the tab at an index. If no index is provided, use the focused tab's index.

Command name: closeTabsAfter

Default binding:

{ "command": "closeTabsAfter" }

Actions

Duplicate tab

This makes a copy of the current tab and opens it.

Command name: duplicateTab

Default binding:

{ "command": "duplicateTab", "keys": "ctrl+shift+d" }

New tab

This creates a new tab. Without any arguments, this will open the default profile in a new tab. If an action is not specified, the default profile's equivalent setting will be used.

Command name: newTab

Default bindings:

{ "command": "newTab", "keys": "ctrl+shift+t" },
{ "command": { "action": "newTab", "index": 0 }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+1" },
{ "command": { "action": "newTab", "index": 1 }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+2" },
{ "command": { "action": "newTab", "index": 2 }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+3" },
{ "command": { "action": "newTab", "index": 3 }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+4" },
{ "command": { "action": "newTab", "index": 4 }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+5" },
{ "command": { "action": "newTab", "index": 5 }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+6" },
{ "command": { "action": "newTab", "index": 6 }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+7" },
{ "command": { "action": "newTab", "index": 7 }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+8" },
{ "command": { "action": "newTab", "index": 8 }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+9" }

Actions

Open next tab

This opens the tab to the right of the current one.

Command name: nextTab

Default binding:

{ "command": "nextTab", "keys": "ctrl+tab" }

Actions

Open previous tab

This opens the tab to the left of the current one.

Command name: prevTab

Default binding:

{ "command": "prevTab", "keys": "ctrl+shift+tab" }

Actions

Tab search

{"command": "tabSearch", "keys": ""}

Open a specific tab

This opens a specific tab depending on the index.

Command name: switchToTab

Default bindings:

{ "command": { "action": "switchToTab", "index": 0 }, "keys": "ctrl+alt+1" },
{ "command": { "action": "switchToTab", "index": 1 }, "keys": "ctrl+alt+2" },
{ "command": { "action": "switchToTab", "index": 2 }, "keys": "ctrl+alt+3" },
{ "command": { "action": "switchToTab", "index": 3 }, "keys": "ctrl+alt+4" },
{ "command": { "action": "switchToTab", "index": 4 }, "keys": "ctrl+alt+5" },
{ "command": { "action": "switchToTab", "index": 5 }, "keys": "ctrl+alt+6" },
{ "command": { "action": "switchToTab", "index": 6 }, "keys": "ctrl+alt+7" },
{ "command": { "action": "switchToTab", "index": 7 }, "keys": "ctrl+alt+8" },
{ "command": { "action": "switchToTab", "index": 8 }, "keys": "ctrl+alt+9" }

Actions

Rename tab

This command can be used to rename a tab to a specific string.

Command name: renameTab

Default binding:

This command is not currently bound in the default settings.

// Rename a tab to "Foo"
{ "command": { "action": "renameTab", "title": "Foo" }, "keys": "" }

// Reset the tab's name
{ "command": { "action": "renameTab", "title": null }, "keys": "" }

Actions

Open tab rename text box

This command changes the tab title into a text field that lets you edit the title for the current tab. Clearing the text field will reset the tab title back to the default for the current shell instance.

Command name: openTabRenamer

Default binding:

{ "command": "openTabRenamer" }

Change tab color

This command can be used to change the color of a tab to a specific value.

Command name: setTabColor

Default binding:

This command is not currently bound in the default settings.

// Change the tab's color to a bright magenta
{ "command": { "action": "setTabColor", "color": "#ff00ff" }, "keys": "" }

// Reset the tab's color
{ "command": { "action": "setTabColor", "color": null }, "keys": "" }

Actions

Open tab color picker

This command can be used to open the color picker for the active tab. The color picker can be used to set a color for the tab at runtime.

Command name: openTabColorPicker

Default binding:

{ "command": "openTabColorPicker" }

Move tab

This command moves the tab "backward" and "forward", which is equivalent to "left" and "right" in left-to-right UI.

Command name: moveTab

Default binding:

// Move tab backward (left in LTR)
{ "command": { "action": "moveTab", "direction": "backward" } }

// Move tab forward (right in LTR)
{ "command": { "action": "moveTab", "direction": "forward" } }

Actions

Window management commands

New window

This creates a new window. Without any arguments, this will open the default profile in a new window (regardless of the setting of windowingBehavior). If an action is not specified, the default profile's equivalent setting will be used.

Command name: newWindow

Default bindings:

{ "command": "newWindow", "keys": "ctrl+shift+n" },

Actions

Rename window

This command can be used to rename a window to a specific string.

Command name: renameWindow

Default binding:

This command is not currently bound in the default settings.

// Rename a window to "Foo"
{ "command": { "action": "renameWindow", "name": "Foo" }, "keys": "" }

// Reset the window's name
{ "command": { "action": "renameWindow", "name": null }, "keys": "" }

Actions

Open window rename dialog

This command changes displays a popup window that lets you edit the name for the current window. Clearing the text field will reset the window name.

Command name: openWindowRenamer

Default binding:

{ "command": "openWindowRenamer" }

Identify window

This pops up an overlay on the focused window that displays the window's name and index.

Command name: identifyWindow

Default binding:

{"command": "identifyWindow", "keys": "" },

Identify windows

This pops up an overlay on all windows that displays each window's name and index.

Command name: identifyWindows

Default binding:

This command is not currently bound in the default settings.

{"command": "identifyWindows" },

Open window rename dialog (Preview)

This command changes displays a popup window that lets you edit the name for the current window. Clearing the text field will reset the window name.

Command name: openWindowRenamer

Default binding:

{ "command": "openWindowRenamer" }

Identify window (Preview)

This pops up an overlay on the focused window that displays the window's name and index.

Command name: identifyWindow

Default binding:

{"command": "identifyWindow", "keys": "" },

Identify windows (Preview)

This pops up an overlay on all windows that displays each window's name and index.

Command name: identifyWindows

Default binding:

This command is not currently bound in the default settings.

{"command": "identifyWindows" },

Pane management commands

Close pane

This closes the active pane. If there aren't any split panes, this will close the current tab. If there is only one tab open, this will close the window.

Command name: closePane

Default binding:

{ "command": "closePane", "keys": "ctrl+shift+w" }

Move pane focus

This changes focus to a different pane depending on the direction. Setting the direction to "previous" will move focus to the most recently used pane.

Command name: moveFocus

Default bindings:

{ "command": { "action": "moveFocus", "direction": "down" }, "keys": "alt+down" },
{ "command": { "action": "moveFocus", "direction": "left" }, "keys": "alt+left" },
{ "command": { "action": "moveFocus", "direction": "right" }, "keys": "alt+right" },
{ "command": { "action": "moveFocus", "direction": "up" }, "keys": "alt+up" },
{ "command": { "action": "moveFocus", "direction": "previous" }, "keys": "ctrl+alt+left" }

Actions

Zoom a pane

{ "command": "togglePaneZoom" }

Resize a pane

This changes the size of the active pane.

Command name: resizePane

Default bindings:

{ "command": { "action": "resizePane", "direction": "down" }, "keys": "alt+shift+down" },
{ "command": { "action": "resizePane", "direction": "left" }, "keys": "alt+shift+left" },
{ "command": { "action": "resizePane", "direction": "right" }, "keys": "alt+shift+right" },
{ "command": { "action": "resizePane", "direction": "up" }, "keys": "alt+shift+up" }

Actions

Mark a pane as read-only

You can mark a pane as read-only, which will prevent input from going into the text buffer. If you attempt to close or input text into a read-only pane, the terminal will display a popup warning instead.

Command name: toggleReadOnlyMode

Default bindings:

{ "command": "toggleReadOnlyMode" }

Split a pane

This halves the size of the active pane and opens another. Without any arguments, this will open the default profile in the new pane. If an action is not specified, the default profile's equivalent setting will be used.

Command name: splitPane

Default bindings:

// In settings.json
{ "command": { "action": "splitPane", "split": "auto", "splitMode": "duplicate" }, "keys": "alt+shift+d" },

// In defaults.json
{ "command": { "action": "splitPane", "split": "horizontal" }, "keys": "alt+shift+-" },
{ "command": { "action": "splitPane", "split": "vertical" }, "keys": "alt+shift+plus" }

Actions

Clipboard integration commands

Copy

This copies the selected terminal content to your clipboard.

Command name: copy

Default bindings:

// In settings.json
{ "command": { "action": "copy", "singleLine": false }, "keys": "ctrl+c" },

// In defaults.json
{ "command": { "action": "copy", "singleLine": false }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+c" },
{ "command": { "action": "copy", "singleLine": false }, "keys": "ctrl+insert" }

Actions

Paste

This inserts the content that was copied onto the clipboard.

Command name: paste

Default bindings:

// In settings.json
{ "command": "paste", "keys": "ctrl+v" },

// In defaults.json
{ "command": "paste", "keys": "ctrl+shift+v" },
{ "command": "paste", "keys": "shift+insert" }

Scrollback commands

Scroll up

This scrolls the screen up by the number of rows defined by "rowsToScroll". If "rowsToScroll" is not provided, it will scroll up the amount defined by the system default, which is the same amount as mouse scrolling.

Command name: scrollUp

Default binding:

{ "command": "scrollUp", "keys": "ctrl+shift+up" }

Actions

Scroll down

This scrolls the screen down by the number of rows defined by "rowsToScroll". If "rowsToScroll" is not provided, it will scroll down the amount defined by the system default, which is the same amount as mouse scrolling.

Command name: scrollDown

Default binding:

{ "command": "scrollDown", "keys": "ctrl+shift+down" }

Actions

Scroll up a whole page

This scrolls the screen up by a whole page, which is the height of the window.

Command name: scrollUpPage

Default binding:

{ "command": "scrollUpPage", "keys": "ctrl+shift+pgup" }

Scroll down a whole page

This scrolls the screen down by a whole page, which is the height of the window.

Command name: scrollDownPage

Default binding:

{ "command": "scrollDownPage", "keys": "ctrl+shift+pgdn" }

Scroll to the earliest history

This scrolls the screen up to the top of the input buffer.

Command name: scrollToTop

Default binding:

{ "command": "scrollToTop", "keys": "ctrl+shift+home" }

Scroll to the latest history

This scrolls the screen down to the bottom of the input buffer.

Command name: scrollToBottom

Default binding:

{ "command": "scrollToBottom", "keys": "ctrl+shift+end" }

Visual adjustment commands

Adjust font size

This changes the text size by a specified point amount.

Command name: adjustFontSize

Default bindings:

{ "command": { "action": "adjustFontSize", "delta": 1 }, "keys": "ctrl+=" },
{ "command": { "action": "adjustFontSize", "delta": -1 }, "keys": "ctrl+-" },
{ "command": { "action": "adjustFontSize", "delta": 1 }, "keys": "ctrl+numpad_plus" },
{ "command": { "action": "adjustFontSize", "delta": -1 }, "keys": "ctrl+numpad_minus" },

Actions

Reset font size

This resets the text size to the default value.

Command name: resetFontSize

Default binding:

{ "command": "resetFontSize", "keys": "ctrl+0" }

Toggle pixel shader effects

This toggles any pixel shader effects enabled in the terminal. If the user specified a valid shader with experimental.pixelShaderPath, this action will toggle that shader on/off. This will also toggle the "retro terminal effect", which is enabled with the profile setting experimental.retroTerminalEffect.

Command name: toggleShaderEffects

Default binding:

{ "command": "toggleShaderEffects" }

Set the color scheme

Changes the active color scheme.

Command name: setColorScheme

Actions

Example binding:

{ "command": { "action": "setColorScheme", "colorScheme": "Campbell" }, "keys": "" }

Global commands

Global summon (Preview)

This is a special action that works globally in the OS, rather than only in the context of the terminal window. When pressed, this action will summon the terminal window. Which window is summoned, where the window is summoned to, and how the window behaves when summoning it, is controlled by the properties on this action.

Notes

• Any keys bound to globalSummon actions in the terminal will not work in other applications while the terminal is running - they will always focus the terminal window.

• If another running application already registered for the given keys using the RegisterHotKey API, the terminal will be unable to listen for those key strokes.

• Elevated and unelevated instances of the terminal will not be able to both register for the same keys. The same applies to both Preview and Stable versions of the terminal - the first one to be launched will always win.

• These key strokes will only work when an instance of the terminal is already running. To launch the terminal automatically on login, see startOnUserLogin.

Command name: globalSummon

Default binding:

This command is not currently bound in the default settings.

{ "keys": "", "command": { "action": "globalSummon" } }

Arguments

When name is provided with monitor or desktop, name behaves in the following ways:

• desktop
  • "any": Go to the desktop the given window is already on.
  • "toCurrent": If the window is on another virtual desktop, then move it to the currently active one.
  • "onCurrent": If the window is on another virtual desktop, then move it to the currently active one.
• monitor
  • "any": Leave the window on the monitor it is already on.
  • "toCurrent": If the window is on another monitor, then move it to the monitor with the current foreground window.
  • "toMouse": If the window is on another monitor, then move it to the monitor with the mouse cursor on it.

The desktop and monitor properties can be combined in the following ways:

Examples

// Summon the most recently used (MRU) window, to the current virtual desktop,
// to the monitor the mouse cursor is on, without an animation. If the window is
// already in the foreground, then minimize it.
{ "keys": "ctrl+1", "command": { "action": "globalSummon" } },

// Summon the MRU window, by going to the virtual desktop the window is
// currently on. Move the window to the monitor the mouse is on.
{ "keys": "ctrl+2", "command": { "action": "globalSummon", "desktop": "any" } },

// Summon the MRU window to the current desktop, leaving the position of the window untouched.
{ "keys": "ctrl+3", "command": { "action": "globalSummon", "monitor": "any" } },

// Summon the MRU window, by going to the virtual desktop the window is
// currently on, leaving the position of the window untouched.
{ "keys": "ctrl+4", "command": { "action": "globalSummon", "desktop": "any", "monitor": "any" } },

// Summon the MRU window with a dropdown duration of 200ms.
{ "keys": "ctrl+5", "command": { "action": "globalSummon", "dropdownDuration": 200 } },

// Summon the MRU window. If the window is already in the foreground, do nothing.
{ "keys": "ctrl+6", "command": { "action": "globalSummon", "toggleVisibility": false } },

// Summon the window named "_quake". If no window with that name exists, then create a new window.
{ "keys": "ctrl+7", "command": { "action": "globalSummon", "name": "_quake" } }

Open the quake mode window (Preview)

{ "keys": "win+`", "command": { "action": "globalSummon", "name": "_quake", "dropdownDuration": 200, "toggleVisibility": true, "monitor": "toCursor", "desktop": "toCurrent" } }

{ "keys": "win+`", "command": { "action": "quakeMode" } }

Unbind keys

This unbinds the associated keys from any command.

Command name: unbound