Vortex Extension Helper

A Visual Studio Code extension that streamlines the development of game support extensions for Vortex.

This is a community-created VSCode extension and is not an official product of Nexus Mods.

Table of Contents

• Features
• Demo
• Installation
• Commands
• Getting Started
• Contributing

Features

🚀 Quick Project Scaffolding

• New Game Extension Wizard: Create a basic game support extension structure with a single command
• Language Support: Choose between JavaScript or TypeScript projects
• Automatic Setup: Generates all required files including info.json, package.json, index.js/ts, configuration files, and placeholder game artwork

💡 Intelligent Code Completion

• Vortex API Snippets: Access pre-built code snippets for common Vortex API patterns
• Context-Aware: Snippets include game registration, mod installers, mod manager integration, and tool definitions
• Language-Specific: Tailored completions for both JavaScript and TypeScript projects

✅ Workspace Validation

• File Structure Checks: Automatically validates that all required files are present
• JSON Validation: Ensures info.json and package.json contain required fields
• Live Diagnostics: Real-time validation as you edit files

📦 Dependency Management

• Vortex API Installation: One-click setup of the Vortex API and related libraries
• Categorized Dependencies: Easy access to required, common, additional, and unofficial Vortex libraries
• NPM Scripts: Pre-configured scripts for building, packaging, and dependency management

Demo

Create Extension

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Intellisense

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Workspace Checks

Installation

Install from within Visual Studio Code (Recommended)

1. Open Visual Studio Code
2. Go to the Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
3. Search for Vortex Extension Helper
4. Click Install
5. Reload VS Code if prompted

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Install from other Sources

You can also install the extension directly from the Visual Studio Code Marketplace:

• VSCode Marketplace
• Open VSX Registry
• Nexus Mods

After installation, reload VS Code and access the extension via the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P) by searching for commands starting with Vortex:.

Commands

Access these commands via the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P):

• Vortex: New Game Support Extension - Create a new game extension project
• Vortex: Setup Vortex API in Workspace - Install Vortex API dependencies
• Vortex: Scaffold Game Extension in Workspace - Add missing required files to an existing project
• Vortex: Run Workspace Checks - Validate your workspace structure and required files
• Vortex: Open Extension Documentation - Opens the Nexus Mods Documentation on how to create Extensions

Getting Started

1. Create a New Extension:

   • Open the Command Palette
   • Run Vortex: New Game Support Extension
   • Choose a location for your project
   • Select JavaScript or TypeScript
   • Select your Game

2. Complete the Setup:

   • The extension will automatically scaffold all required files
   • Dependencies will be installed automatically
   • Your workspace will be ready to start coding

3. Start Developing:

   • Edit info.json with your game details
   • Implement game support in index.js or index.ts
   • Use code snippets (prefix with t) for common patterns
   • Run workspace checks to validate your setup

Code Snippets

The extension provides numerous code snippets accessible by typing t followed by the snippet name:

• tregisterGame - Register a new game with Vortex
• tregisterInstaller - Create a mod installer
• tfindGameSteam - Find game installation via Steam/GOG
• tprepareForModdingSimple - Simple mod folder setup
• tprepareForModdingModManager - Setup with mod manager integration
• ttestSupportedContent - Test if mod is supported
• tinstallContent - Install mod files
• tmoddingTools - Define modding tools
• And more...

Project Structure

A scaffolded extension includes:

your-game-extension/
├── .vscode
   ├── settings.json
   └── tasks.json
├── info.json              # Extension metadata
├── package.json           # NPM dependencies and scripts
├── gameart.jpg            # Game icon (replace with actual artwork)
├── index.js / index.ts    # Main extension code
├── jsconfig.json / tsconfig.json  # Language configuration
└── dist/                  # Build output (TypeScript only)

Requirements

• Visual Studio Code
• Node.js and NPM installed
• Git (for installing Vortex API dependencies)

Vortex API Libraries

The extension provides easy access to official Vortex libraries:

Required:

• vortex-api

Common:

• winapi-bindings
• vortex-parse-ini
• node-7z
• @nexusmods/nexus-api
• turbowalk

Additional: Game-specific libraries for formats like BA2, BSA, ESP, and more

Build from Source

If you want to build and run the extension yourself:

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/Der-Floh/Vortex-Extension-Helper
   cd Vortex-Extension-Helper

2. Install dependencies

   npm install

3. Build & Run in VS Code

   • Open the project folder in Visual Studio Code
   • To build: press Ctrl+Shift+B to run the default build task
   • To debug the extension:
     1. Press F5
     2. This launches a new Extension Development Host window with the extension loaded

4. Package the Extension (vsce)

   To create a .vsix package using vsce:

   npm run package

   This will generate a VSIX file that you can install locally via:

   • VS Code: Extensions view → ... menu → Install from VSIX...

Known Issues

• The extension requires an active internet connection to install Vortex API dependencies from Git repositories
• Some advanced Vortex API features may require manual type definitions

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit issues or pull requests.

Resources

• Vortex Mod Manager
• Vortex API Documentation
• Nexus Mods

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Enjoy creating game support extensions for Vortex! 🎮