Using the Control Panel

Scenario: Access core plugin features via a visual menu
Time: 1–2 minutes per action

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What the Control Panel does

SRS Writer: Control Panel is the command center to:

• Create/initialize a workspace
• Switch or manage projects
• Check sync status
• Manage MCP tools
• Open plugin settings

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How to open

1. Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P → run SRS Writer: Control Panel
   
2. (Optional) bind a keyboard shortcut; the status bar item SRS: ... also opens it when visible.

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Options at a glance

📁 Create Workspace & Initialize   → Copy templates, init Git, create .session-log/
🔄 Switch Project                  → Load another project's session and context
📂 Project Management              → Rename / delete the current project
✓ Sync Status Check                → Check files, session, Git status
🔧 MCP Tools Management            → View / filter / reload MCP tools
⚙️ Plugin Settings                 → Open SRS Writer settings page

Details below.

📁 Create Workspace & Initialize

• Copies .templates/ into the new workspace
• Generates .vscode/settings.json (packaged with the extension)
• Initializes Git: main branch, .gitignore, initial commit, and a wip working branch
• Creates .session-log/ and main session file srs-writer-session_main.json
• Opens the new workspace automatically

Choose a parent folder and workspace name (letters/numbers/-/_). Then start projects inside this workspace via chat.

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🔄 Switch Project

• Lists project sessions from .session-log/ and validates directories
• If a plan is running, prompts to stop safely before switching
• Saves current session, loads target session, clears chat context, ensures working on wip branch

Only shows projects inside the current workspace; invalid paths get guidance to fix.

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📂 Project Management

Rename project

• Atomic updates: project name, project directory, session file path, baseDir
• Allows only letters/numbers/-/_; prevents conflicts with existing dirs/sessions

Delete project

• Moves the current project's session file and project directory to trash (VS Code useTrash)
• Switches back to the main session (workspace root, Git default main)
• Requires a valid path inside the current workspace

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✓ Sync Status Check

Checks the current project for:

• Session state (baseDir, session file presence)
• File state (e.g., SRS.md, requirements.yaml readability)
• Git branch info (on wip, etc.)

If inconsistencies are found, it suggests Force Sync Context (command palette) or switching projects to reload.

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🔧 MCP Tools Management

• View Tools Status: shows registered tool counts, sources (VS Code/MCP), current exclude keywords; can open user-level mcp.json
• Manage Exclude Keywords: add/remove keywords to filter unwanted MCP tools (case-insensitive)
• Reload Tools: unregister then re-register all tools using current exclude rules

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⚙️ Plugin Settings

Opens VS Code settings filtered to SRS Writer. Key entries:

• srs-writer.projectSwitching.excludeDirectories: directories to hide when choosing projects
• srs-writer.mcp.excludeKeywords: keywords to exclude MCP tools
• srs-writer.syntaxChecker.*: Markdown/YAML syntax checks (basic/standard/strict)
• srs-writer.rag.enterprise.*: enterprise RAG connection (optional)

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Common workflows

First-time setup

1. Control Panel → Create Workspace & Initialize
2. Pick parent folder, enter workspace name
3. When opened, start a project in chat: @srs-writer ...

Switching projects

1. Control Panel → Switch Project
2. Pick the target project; confirm stopping current execution if prompted
3. Wait for confirmation you’re on the wip branch

Fixing out-of-sync states

1. Control Panel → Sync Status Check
2. If issues exist, run Force Sync Context (command palette) or switch away and back