How to setup an auto watch run for .NET Core 3.1 projects using Visual Studio Code?

Question

I need to setup an auto restart when some source code file modifies.

I'm using VS Code with Dotnet Core 3.1 to develop a web api.

When debug starts I can see my REST Api published in http://localhost:5001/api/entities, but if I change a model or something else, I need to restart the debug to see the changes.

I've tried to start the project with dotnet watch run on terminal and attatch the debug to process, but I would like to know if is possible to config something in the project to start all debugs with dotnet watch enabled.

Answer 1

I know this an old question, but I found a solution.

I used Marco's solution and added this to my tasks.json:

"options": {
    "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}/yourproject/"
}

So the final solution is :

tasks.json

{
    "label": "watch",
    "command": "dotnet",
    "type": "process",
    "args": [
        "watch",
        "run",
        "${workspaceFolder}/yourproject/yourproject.csproj",
        "/property:GenerateFullPaths=true",
        "/consoleloggerparameters:NoSummary"
    ],
    "problemMatcher": "$msCompile",
    "options": {
        "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}/yourproject/"
    }
}

launch.json

{
    "name": ".NET Core Launch (web)",
    "type": "coreclr",
    "request": "launch",
    "preLaunchTask": "watch",
    "program": "${workspaceFolder}/yourproject/bin/Debug/net5.0/yourproject.dll",
    "args": [],
    "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}/yourproject",
    "stopAtEntry": false
}

Answer 2

Yes this is totally possible.

In VS Code, open your tasks.json, which should be located in the .vscode folder. In there you should find a tasks array.

The easiest way is to simply add "watch" to just edit the build task:

"tasks": [
        {
            "label": "build",
            "command": "dotnet",
            "type": "process",
            "args": [
                "watch",
                "build",
                "${workspaceFolder}/delete.csproj",
                "/property:GenerateFullPaths=true",
                "/consoleloggerparameters:NoSummary"
            ],
            "problemMatcher": "$msCompile"
        }
 ]

Since "build" is the default task, when pressing F5 and startig debugging, this will always start a dotnet start build, when debugging. The key takeaway is to add watch into the args array.

If you want to have a dedicated task for that, you can add one in the tasks.json:

{
    "label": "watch",
    "command": "dotnet",
    "type": "process",
    "args": [
        "watch",
        "run",
        "${workspaceFolder}/delete.csproj",
        "/property:GenerateFullPaths=true",
        "/consoleloggerparameters:NoSummary"
    ],
    "problemMatcher": "$msCompile"
}

And in your launch.json you can set this task as the preLaunchTask:

"configurations": [
    {
        "name": ".NET Core Launch (console)",
        "type": "coreclr",
        "request": "launch",
        "preLaunchTask": "watch", 
        "program": "${workspaceFolder}/bin/Debug/netcoreapp3.0/delete.dll",
        "args": [],
        "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
        "console": "internalConsole",
        "stopAtEntry": false
    }
]

I have created a small test project using dotnet new console to try this out locally, hence the delete.dll filename. Please make amendments as neccesary.