VS Code Extension

The LRM VS Code extension brings powerful localization tools directly into your IDE with real-time diagnostics, IntelliSense, and translation capabilities.

Installation

Install from the VS Code Marketplace:

1. Open VS Code
2. Press Ctrl+Shift+X to open Extensions
3. Search for "LRM - .NET Localization"
4. Click Install

Or install via command:

code --install-extension nickprotop.lrm

Quick Start

1. Open a folder containing resource files (.resx or JSON)
2. The extension automatically detects your resources
3. Look for the LRM icon in the sidebar
4. Click to open the Resource Tree View

Auto-Detection

The extension finds resources by looking for:

• .resx files: Resources.resx, Resources.fr.resx
• JSON (standard): strings.json, strings.fr.json
• i18next: en.json, fr.json in locales/ folder

Features

Real-time Diagnostics

As you code, the extension scans for localization issues:

• Missing keys - Keys used in code but not in resources
• Unused keys - Keys in resources but not used in code
• Empty translations - Keys without values
• Duplicate keys - Same key defined multiple times

IntelliSense Autocomplete

Get autocomplete suggestions as you type localization keys:

// Type "Resources." to see suggestions
var text = Resources.Welcome_Title;

// Also works with indexers
var text = Resources["Welcome_Title"];

// And IStringLocalizer
_localizer["Welcome_Title"]

CodeLens

See key metadata directly in your resource files:

• Reference count - "12 references" shows how many times a key is used
• Language coverage - "3/5 languages" shows translation status
• Quick translate - Click to translate missing languages
• Warnings - Unused or duplicate key indicators

Go to Definition

Press F12 on a localization key to jump to its definition in the resource file.

Find References

Press Shift+F12 to find all usages of a key across your codebase.

Quick Fix Actions

When the extension detects issues, it offers quick fixes:

• Add missing key - Create the key in your resources
• Translate key - Translate to missing languages
• Remove unused key - Delete keys not used in code

Resource Editor

The built-in resource editor provides a visual interface for editing translations.

Opening the Editor

• Click the LRM icon in the sidebar
• Right-click a resource file → "Open in LRM Editor"
• Use Command Palette: "LRM: Open Resource Editor"

Editor Features

• Multi-language view - See all translations side by side
• Inline editing - Click any cell to edit
• Search - Filter by key name or value
• Status filters - Show only missing, empty, or all keys
• Bulk operations - Translate or delete multiple keys

Translation

Translation Providers

The extension supports multiple translation providers:

Configuring API Keys

1. Open VS Code Settings (Ctrl+,)
2. Search for "LRM"
3. Find "Translation Provider" and select your provider
4. Enter your API key in the corresponding setting

Or use environment variables:

export LRM_GOOGLE_API_KEY="your-key"
export LRM_DEEPL_API_KEY="your-key"
export LRM_OPENAI_API_KEY="your-key"

Translating Keys

1. Open a resource file or the Resource Editor
2. Select one or more keys
3. Right-click → "Translate" (or use CodeLens)
4. Choose target languages
5. Click "Translate"

Settings

Extension Settings

Project Configuration

Create an lrm.json file in your project root:

{
  "resourcePath": "./Resources",
  "defaultLanguage": "en",
  "translation": {
    "provider": "deepl",
    "preservePlaceholders": true
  },
  "scanning": {
    "include": ["**/*.cs", "**/*.cshtml"],
    "exclude": ["**/bin/**", "**/obj/**"]
  }
}

Keyboard Shortcuts

Commands

Available commands (via Command Palette):

• LRM: Open Resource Editor
• LRM: Open Dashboard
• LRM: Open Settings
• LRM: Validate Resources
• LRM: Scan Code
• LRM: Translate Selected Keys
• LRM: Add Language
• LRM: Export to CSV
• LRM: Import from CSV