IntelliSense should work across dot-sourced file references

[jdkang]

Is it possible to support dot sourcing to pull Intellisense across files?

e.g.

\
\a.ps1
\b.ps1

# a.ps1
function Get-Foo($baz) { write-host $baz }

# b.ps1
. $PsScriptRoot\b.ps1

Get-Foo -baz

[daviwil]

Right now the only way to make that work is for you to select the contents of b.ps1 and run them with F8. This will cause the dot-source reference to be evaluated so that the Get-Foo method is in your session.

I've been thinking about how I could make this work by default without having to evaluate the file but it might require changes to PowerShell's underlying completion engine. Will definitely look into this in the future but probably won't get to it for a little while. Thanks!

[Leon99]

This is an extremely important feature. It will significantly improve PowerShell development experience.
I wonder if there is a way to "trick" the completion engine to treat the modules in the opened folder the same way it treats the standard library?

[daviwil]

@Leon99 Not sure, I'll have to ask around and see. Good idea though!

[rkeithhill]

@daviwil Wouldn't this work in the new system where we have a PowerShell interactive console as long as you F8 the lines that dot source other scripts? That works in ISE.

[Leon99]

If it's possible to modify $profile file and then re-init auto-completion engine, it'd be an easy job. Hook onto opening a folder, get the list of .psm1 files available, import them through $profile, init auto-complete. Done.

[Glober777]

Approach suggested by @Leon99 sounds interesting, although the import would have to also automatically reoccur every time those module files change, as IntelliSense may continue suggesting things based on the previous version of the module.

[daviwil]

@rkeithhill Yep, that'd work, though I think the expectation is that the user wouldn't need to do that.

@Leon99 @Glober777 That's one option I suppose, but I'd rather find a way that either allows the existing completion engine to become aware of file relationships or find another way using my own analysis so that no code needs to be evaluated before the IntelliSense results come back.

I've got plans for creating a module which can analyze a folder of script files and create an updatable index of everything in those files, taking into account relationships between files (like those dot-sourced into a .psm1, etc). Once I have this index, I might be able to use it in addition to the completion results that come back from PowerShell's completion engine.

However, I think it might be better to first see if this is something desirable to add to the built-in completion engine itself before running off to build my own solution :)

[Leon99]

@daviwil Sounds like a proper plan. My only concern is that it may take a lot of effort to implement, that's why I suggested a "low budget" idea. Well, at least I think it is. In fact, for me it'd be okay even if there was a command that I need run manually to import all the modules in the current folder plus do some magic to make sure that IntelliSense sees it.

[mvvsubbu]

Is this something in your radar to be implemented anytime soon?

[Arunideas]

This is really a important feature to make sure VScode as ISE is less preferred for Powershell developers after seeing the Vscode :) Am ne of those eagerly waiting 😀