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Vijay Gangatharan
Vijay Gangatharan

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Get Started in 5 Minutes: Your Path from Install to Productivity ⚡

#vscode #productivity #developers #codenewbie

Skip the learning curve! Get Additional Context Menus working in your workflow in 5 minutes flat. No configuration headaches, no documentation deep-dives - just install, click, and boost your productivity.

Why This Guide Exists 🎯

Most VS Code extensions require 30 minutes of setup, reading docs, and tweaking settings. This one works immediately. Here's how to get from zero to productive in 5 minutes.

Step 1: Install (30 seconds) 📥

Option A: VS Code Marketplace

  1. Open Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X or Cmd+Shift+X)
  2. Search "Additional Context Menus"
  3. Click Install on the VijayGangatharan extension

Option B: Command Line 

code --install-extension VijayGangatharan.additional-context-menus
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

✅ Done! The extension activates automatically.

Step 2: Verify It's Working (1 minute) 🔍

Check Your Status Bar

Look at the bottom of VS Code. You should see one of these:

  • ⚛️ 🚂 Additional Context Menus ← React + Express project detected!
  • 🅰️ Additional Context Menus ← Angular project detected
  • $(circle-slash) Additional Context Menus ← Not a Node.js project

Pro tip: Click the status bar item anytime to debug what the extension detected.

Quick Test

  1. Open any .ts, .tsx, .js, or .jsx file in your project
  2. Right-click in the editor
  3. Look for these new options:
    • Copy Function
    • Save All
    • When text is selected: Copy to Existing File & Move to Existing File

See them? You're ready to roll! 🚀

Step 3: Your First Power Move (2 minutes) ⚡

Copy Function Magic

  1. Click inside any function (don't select anything)
  2. Right-click → Copy Function
  3. Paste anywhere - perfect function copied with exact boundaries!

No more hunting for opening/closing braces! 🎯

Smart Code Moving

  1. Select some code (a few lines, a component, whatever)
  2. Right-click → Copy to Existing File
  3. Pick a target file from the dropdown
  4. Watch the magic - code copied with imports handled automatically!

Import conflicts? Resolved. Wrong file location? Fixed. Manual work? Eliminated. ✨

Step 4: Optimize Your Workflow (1 minute) ⚙️

Essential Settings (Optional)

Hit Ctrl+, (Settings) and search for "Additional Context":

For power users:

  • Copy Code: Insertion Point → "smart" (finds perfect spot to insert code)
  • Copy Code: Handle Imports → "merge" (combines imports intelligently)

For teams:

  • Save All: Show Notification → true (see what got saved)

Keyboard Shortcuts (Optional)

⚠️ Disabled by default to avoid conflicts!

To enable:

  1. Ctrl+Shift+P → "Additional Context Menus: Enable Keybindings"
  2. Use Ctrl+Alt+Shift+F for Copy Function, etc.

Tip: Run "Check Keybinding Conflicts" first to avoid issues.

Step 5: See the Difference (30 seconds) 📊

Before Additional Context Menus

  1. Manually select function code (did I get all of it?)
  2. Copy, switch files, find insertion spot
  3. Paste, manually fix imports
  4. Debug broken references
  5. Repeat 20 times per day 😵

After Additional Context Menus

  1. Right-click inside function → Copy Function
  2. Right-click selected code → Copy to Existing File
  3. Done. Imports handled. Life is good. ☕

Time saved per day: ~45 minutes

Frustration level: Near zero

"This should be built into VS Code" feeling: Maximum 🎯

Common "Wait, How?" Moments 🤔

Q: Context menus not showing?

A: Make sure you're in a Node.js project (has package.json) and using supported files (.ts/.tsx/.js/.jsx)

Q: Copy Function not working?

A: Click inside the function, don't select text. Let the extension find the boundaries.

Q: Import merging going wrong?

A: Check Settings → Handle Imports is set to "merge". Report edge cases!

Q: Want to see what's happening?

A: Ctrl+Shift+P → "Additional Context Menus: Show Output Channel" for debug info

You're Ready! 🚀

That's it! You now have intelligent context menus that understand your codebase.

What You Just Gained

  • Function detection that actually works
  • Import management that doesn't break things
  • File operations that save massive amounts of time
  • Peace of mind knowing your tools just work

Try These Next

  • Move a React component to a different file (imports come too!)
  • Extract utility functions from components (one click!)
  • Use Save All with the progress indicator (so satisfying!)

Ready for the advanced stuff? Check out the other posts in this series for performance secrets and power user tips!

Questions? Issues? Success stories? Drop them in the comments! Nothing makes my day like hearing how this extension improved someone's workflow. 😊

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