Feature request: Allow automatic clear of output window before running task

[BillDenton]

• VSCode Version: Code 1.8.1 (ee428b0, 2016-12-19T14:49:23.350Z)
• OS Version: Windows_NT ia32 6.1.7601
• Extensions:

Extension	Author	Version
read-only-indicator	alefragnani	0.6.0
alignment	annsk	0.3.0
Doxygen	bbenoist	1.0.0
vscode-astyle	chiehyu	0.4.0
python	donjayamanne	0.5.6
EditorConfig	EditorConfig	0.3.4
copy-relative-path	enochc	0.1.1
matlab	Gimly81	0.4.0
status-bar-tasks	GuardRex	0.1.2
vscode-dimmer	hoovercj	2.1.0
docthis	joelday	0.3.10
cpptools	ms-vscode	0.10.0
copy-file-name	nemesv	1.0.0
vscode-clearcase	OpenNingia	1.4.2
vscode-icons	robertohuertasm	7.1.2
theme-cyanicpastels	SamuelLampa	0.0.9
indenticator	SirTori	0.2.1
vscode-hexdump	slevesque	1.1.4
code-spell-checker	streetsidesoftware	0.14.8
comment-snippets	Tobiah	0.2.0
dark-plus-material	vangware	0.1.4
change-case	wmaurer	1.0.0
highlight-trailing-white-spaces	ybaumes	0.0.2

---

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Run a task.
2. Output is appended to output window.
   Expected behaviour: Output window is cleared before starting the task so it easier to see the results of the current task. This should be a configurable option. Probably a global one plus a per task one.

[BillDenton]

@dbaeumer Any update on this?

[dbaeumer]

This got partly addressed with the new terminal runner which support a presentation property that lets you control the panel usages. For example

			"presentation": {
				"panel": "new"
			},

which creates a new panel for every run (but it doesn't automatically clear /close and old one).

The story forward is to use the terminal runner not the old output runner. If you think there is something missing for you please open a new issue. I will close this one since no work is planned to support new features in the output runner.

[BillDenton]

How do we use the "terminal runner" and get the output cleared at the start of running a task?

[dbaeumer]

June release notes or https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/editor/tasks#_convert-from-010-to-200

[BillDenton]

I have already converted to "version": "2.0.0", but had not added "runner": "terminal". After adding this my existing tasks (or at least one of them) seem to be working

  "version": "2.0.0",
  "type": "shell",
  "presentation": {
    "echo": true,
    "reveal": "always",
    "focus": false,
    "panel": "dedicated"
  },
  "runner": "terminal",
  "tasks": [
    {

What new can I now do?
I've just tried adding add "cls" to the start of my tasks, but it didn't work:

"args": [
        "cls &&",
        "my_build_program options"
]

BTW: I'm using an external batch file to beep at the end of the build, so I don't have to watch the long builds:

(my_build_prog || beepbeepbeep.bat)
&&
beep.bat

I get three beeps if it fails and one if it succeeds.

[dbaeumer]

The cls trick doesn't work. You get a fresh console process anyways, however in the UI by default we append the output unless you create a new panel on every run.

[BillDenton]

I don't want to create a new panel each run as I would end with a lot of panels to delete. Is there any way of clearing the panel (i.e the equivalent of Terminal Clear) when the build starts?

[dbaeumer]

No, but there is a feature request for it here: #30058