Introduction

This tool provides PowerShell functions that automate the workflow of setting up and using a development environment.

• Create templates to perform operations like setting environment variables, IDE workspace settings, etc.
• Create aliases specific to the project, handling routine operations
• Easily switch between development environments

The examples provided are geared to my work but will provide enough for you to implement your own.

Use Case

Set up an environment

Instead of building a Python virtual environment and running pip commands to install packages, this tool handles it in one command:

1. Clone down a repository
2. Launch Powershell and type New-Code Python. Give it a minute or two ☕

The script automates the workflow of creating a Python virtual environment, installing the requirements file via pip, setting up environmental variables, and providing additional tools set up as aliases.

Python Dev Env Template README

Use an existing environment

Now that you have set up an environment, you can easily come back to it later on.

1. Navigate to the project directory
2. Type Enter-Code and your environment is setup and ready to use
3. Type Exit-Code to tear down the environment, or simply leave the project directory.

Keep reading for information on how to automatically perform these operations simply by changing in and out of the project directory

Change the Project prompt

The .settings.json file in .pcode that allows you to change the prompt of the project. UTF8 encoding is supported, use Windows Terminal for characters such as emojis to work.

{
    "version": 1.0,
    "prompt": {
        "Object": "🐍 ",
        "BackgroundColor": null,
        "ForegroundColor": null
    }
}

Installation

This module is available from the PowerShell Gallery, perform the following:

Install-Module DevEnv -Scope CurrentUser

Setup Project Directory Tracking

Automatically enter your development environment when entering the project directory.

Run the following in PowerShell to append the project detection code to the end of the profile.

if (-not (test-path $profile)) {
    new-item -path $profile -itemtype file -force
}
Add-Content $profile @'
### DevEnv detect project directories ###
function global:_PWSH_ORIG_PROMPT {
    ""
}
$function:_PSWH_ORIG_PROMPT = $function:prompt
function global:prompt {
  if (Enter-Code -auto_entry) {
    return & $function:_DEVENV_PROMPT
  } else {
    return & $function:_PSWH_ORIG_PROMPT
  }
}
######
'@

Create your templates

Use the Set-Code command to create your environment templates. If there is an existing template under DevEnv under that name, it will be copied to your template.

Set-Code python
explorer.exe (Get-Code python).FullName

Environment File Structure

DevEnv calls scripts in the .pcode directory. Files prefixed with double dots are executed when a function is called (ex: Enter-Code). Any *.ps1 files are set up as aliases, with the same name as the file, on project entrance. Other file types and sub-directories are not used by DevEnv.

├───.pcode    - DevEnv executes scripts under this directory
│   │   ..enter.ps1   - Entrant Script (Enter-Code)
│   │   ..exit.ps1    - Exit Script (Exit-Code)
│   │   ..init.ps1    - Initialization Script (New-Code)
│   │   clean.ps1     - Aliases
│   │   idle.ps1      *
│   │   lint.ps1      *
│   │   README.md
│   └───helpers
│           build_env.ps1
│           info.py
│
└───.vscode
        settings.json

You can add additional files, which are copied over when creating a new developer environment (New-Code), such as .gitignore. In the Python template above, a .vscode directory provides additional for Visual Studio Code in the development environment.