TL;DR: The Syncfusion® Document Viewer for Visual Studio Code allows you to open, view, and edit Excel, CSV, and TSV files directly in your editor. With features like sorting, filtering, and read-only mode, it enhances your workflow within Visual Studio Code, saving time and boosting productivity.
Working with data directly in your editor is essential in today’s fast-paced development environment. The Syncfusion® Document Viewer for Visual Studio Code is a simple extension that lets you open, view, and edit Excel, CSV, and TSV files directly in your editor.
With features like sorting, filtering, and a toggleable read-only mode, this extension allows you to work with your files without switching between different apps.
Prerequisites
Before getting started, make sure your environment meets the following requirements:
Installing the Syncfusion® Document Viewer Extension
You can install the Syncfusion® Document Viewer extension directly from Visual Studio Code. Here’s how:
- Launch Visual Studio Code.
- Open the Extensions View. Select the Extensions icon in the Activity Bar on the left side of the editor (it looks like four squares with one detached), or press Ctrl+Shift+X (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+X (Mac).
- Search for Syncfusion® Document Viewer in the search bar.
- Click on the Install option to add the extension to your editor.
Once installed, you can start working with Excel, CSV, and TSV files within Visual Studio Code.
Why use the Syncfusion® Document Viewer?
Syncfusion® Document Viewer eliminates switching between apps to view the files. It integrates data viewing and editing into Visual Studio Code for faster and more focused workflows.
Key features
- View and edit: You can open and edit Excel (.xlsx), CSV (.csv), and TSV (.tsv) files directly within Visual Studio Code, making changes without switching between apps.
- Sorting and filtering: Organize and review your data effortlessly with built-in sorting and filtering options available in column headers.
- Read-only mode: Safeguard your data by enabling read-only mode to prevent accidental edits.
Use case: Edit data on the fly without leaving Visual Studio Code
For developers working on projects that require frequent updates to CSV files or spreadsheets, the Syncfusion® Document Viewer makes it easy to open and edit these files directly in VSCode. There’s no need to switch to a separate tool— open the file in your editor, make the necessary changes, and save it.
How to customize the Syncfusion® Document Viewer extension?
The Syncfusion® Document Viewer allows you to customize its features to fit your workflow. Here’s how you can easily configure the extension:
Configuring read-only mode
You can enable read-only mode to view files without making any changes, helping to prevent accidental edits.
-
Via the VSCode Status Bar:
- After opening a file, click the Syncfusion® Document Viewer icon in the VSCode status bar.
- A QuickPick bar will appear at the top of VSCode, with Enable or Disable read-only mode options.
- Via VSCode settings (User/Workspace):
-
- Go to VSCode Settings → Extensions → Syncfusion® Document Viewer.
- Toggle the Read-Only Mode setting to Enable or Disable based on your preference.
This flexibility allows you to effortlessly switch between reviewing data securely and editing it when needed.
Configuring filtering and sorting on the first row
You can apply filtering and sorting to the first row of the worksheet for quicker access and smoother data review.
-
Via the VSCode Status Bar:
- After opening a file, click the Syncfusion® Document Viewer icon in the VSCode status bar.
- A QuickPick bar will appear at the top of VSCode, enabling you to configure filtering and sorting on the first row of the worksheet.
- Via VSCode Settings (User/Workspace):
-
- Go to VSCode Settings → Extensions → Syncfusion® Document Viewer.
- You can toggle filtering and sorting options here, turning these features on or off for the first row.
Accessing filtering and sorting directly in the file
- For more granular control, right-click on any cell or column header to open a context menu that provides access to filtering and sorting options.
Using column header:
By right-clicking on a cell:
Future plans for extension enhancement
As we continue to improve the Syncfusion® Document Viewer for Visual Studio Code, we are excited to announce plans to support additional file formats. In the near future, we will add support for editing:
- Word documents (DOCX): Seamlessly open, view, and edit Word documents directly within Visual Studio Code.
- Rich text files (RTF, MD): Work with rich text formats like RTF and Markdown (MD) files, allowing for greater flexibility in content editing.
- PDF files: View and edit PDF documents directly in Visual Studio code.
These updates will further streamline your workflow by integrating even more document types directly into your coding environment.
Note: For more details, refer to the Syncfusion® Document Viewer extension for Visual Studio Code documentation.
Conclusion
The Syncfusion® Document Viewer for Visual Studio Codeis an essential extension for viewing and editing Excel, CSV, and TSV files directly in your coding environment. With features like read-only mode, sorting, and filtering, it helps you save time and stay productive by reducing the need to switch between apps.
If you’re an existing customer, you can download the latest version of Essential Studio® from the License and Downloads page. For those new to Syncfusion®, try our 30-day free trial to explore all our features.
For queries, you can contact us through our support forum, feedback portal, or support portal. As always, we are happy to assist you!
Top comments (0)