vs-code

VS Code Custom Modes Conversion

This directory contains tools and output for converting CLI-format custom modes to VS Code-compatible format.

Overview

The Roo Code custom modes exist in two versions:

CLI Version: Designed for command-line Roo Code
VS Code Version: Designed for the Roo Code VS Code extension

This conversion tool transforms CLI modes into VS Code-compatible format.

Directory Structure

vs-code/
├── convert_modes.py           # Conversion script
├── converted_modes/           # Output directory
│   ├── custom_modes.yaml      # VS Code-compatible mode definitions (186 modes)
│   ├── .roo/                  # Rules directory
│   │   ├── rules-{slug}/      # One directory per mode
│   │   │   └── 1_instructions.xml
│   │   └── ... (186 mode directories)
│   └── README.md              # Detailed usage guide
└── README.md                  # This file

Quick Start

List Available Modes

cd Custom-Modes-Roo-Code/vs-code
python3 convert_modes.py list

This displays all available modes organized alphabetically.

Search for Modes

# Search with wildcards
python3 convert_modes.py search code*
python3 convert_modes.py search *python* *architect*

# Search multiple patterns
python3 convert_modes.py search golang* rust* *developer*

Convert Modes

Convert all modes (merges with existing):

python3 convert_modes.py convert all

Convert specific modes (adds or updates):

python3 convert_modes.py convert code-skeptic architect python-pro

Custom output directory:

python3 convert_modes.py convert all --output my_custom_modes

Manage Output Directory

Purge the output directory:

python3 convert_modes.py purge

Copy to VS Code

Copy to remote environment (WSL/SSH):

python3 convert_modes.py copy remote

Copy to local environment:

python3 convert_modes.py copy local

Command-Line Options

Usage: python3 convert_modes.py {list|search|convert|purge|copy} [args...] [options]

Commands:
  list                List all available modes
  search              Search for modes by pattern (supports wildcards)
  convert             Convert modes to VS Code format (merges with existing)
  purge               Empty the output directory
  copy                Copy converted modes to VS Code settings

Arguments:
  For search:         One or more search patterns (supports * wildcard)
  For convert:        Mode slugs to convert (use "all" for all modes)
  For copy:           Destination: 'remote' or 'local'

Options:
  --source PATH       Source custom_modes.yaml file (default: ../custom_modes.yaml)
  --output DIR        Output directory (default: converted_modes)
  --help              Show help message

Examples:
  # List and search
  python3 convert_modes.py list
  python3 convert_modes.py search code* *python*

  # Convert (merges with existing output)
  python3 convert_modes.py convert all
  python3 convert_modes.py convert code-skeptic architect
  python3 convert_modes.py convert python-pro --output my_modes

  # Manage output
  python3 convert_modes.py purge

  # Copy to VS Code
  python3 convert_modes.py copy remote
  python3 convert_modes.py copy local

Conversion Behavior

Smart Merge (Default): The convert command now intelligently merges modes:

Updates existing modes with new data
Adds new modes that don't exist
Preserves existing modes not being converted

Example output:

Conversion complete!
Output directory: 'converted_modes'
Total modes in output: 15
  Updated: 3 mode(s)
  Added: 2 new mode(s)
  Kept: 10 existing mode(s)

This means you can:

Convert a few modes initially
Add more modes later without losing the first ones
Update specific modes without affecting others
Run convert all multiple times safely

Installation

After conversion, use the copy command to install:

Remote Environment (WSL/SSH):

python3 convert_modes.py copy remote

Local Environment:

python3 convert_modes.py copy local

Manual Installation (if needed):

Remote (WSL/SSH):

cp converted_modes/custom_modes.yaml ~/.vscode-server/data/User/globalStorage/rooveterinaryinc.roo-cline/settings/
cp -r converted_modes/.roo ~/.vscode-server/data/User/globalStorage/rooveterinaryinc.roo-cline/settings/

Local Linux:

cp converted_modes/custom_modes.yaml ~/.config/Code/User/globalStorage/rooveterinaryinc.roo-cline/settings/
cp -r converted_modes/.roo ~/.config/Code/User/globalStorage/rooveterinaryinc.roo-cline/settings/

Local macOS:

cp converted_modes/custom_modes.yaml ~/Library/Application\ Support/Code/User/globalStorage/rooveterinaryinc.roo-cline/settings/
cp -r converted_modes/.roo ~/Library/Application\ Support/Code/User/globalStorage/rooveterinaryinc.roo-cline/settings/

Local Windows:

copy converted_modes\custom_modes.yaml %APPDATA%\Code\User\globalStorage\rooveterinaryinc.roo-cline\settings\
xcopy /E /I converted_modes\.roo %APPDATA%\Code\User\globalStorage\rooveterinaryinc.roo-cline\settings\.roo

Conversion Script Details

What It Does

The convert_modes.py script:

Lists all available modes organized alphabetically
Searches for modes using wildcard patterns (* matches any characters)
Converts modes from CLI to VS Code format with smart merging
Merges new conversions with existing output (updates/adds/preserves)
Purges output directory when needed
Copies converted modes to VS Code settings (remote or local)
Parses the CLI custom_modes.yaml format
Extracts mode metadata (slug, name, roleDefinition, groups)
Creates VS Code-compatible YAML structure
Generates XML instruction files from customInstructions
Handles long filenames (truncates to 50 characters)
Provides default whenToUse text if not specified

Format Differences

CLI Format:

customModes:
  - slug: code-skeptic
    name: 🧐 Code Skeptic
    roleDefinition: You are a SKEPTICAL...
    customInstructions: "You will: 1. NEVER ACCEPT..."
    groups: [read, edit, browser, command, mcp]

VS Code Format:

customModes:
  - slug: code-skeptic
    name: 🧐 Code Skeptic
    roleDefinition: You are a SKEPTICAL...
    whenToUse: Use when you need to act as a 🧐 Code Skeptic...
    groups: [read, edit, browser, command, mcp]

The customInstructions content is extracted to:

.roo/rules-code-skeptic/1_instructions.xml

Limitations

What the script CAN do:

✅ List all available modes
✅ Search modes with wildcard patterns
✅ Convert mode metadata to VS Code format
✅ Smart merge: update existing, add new, preserve others
✅ Create proper directory structure
✅ Generate basic XML instruction files
✅ Purge output directory
✅ Copy to VS Code settings (remote/local)
✅ Handle all modes automatically

What the script CANNOT do:

❌ Create semantic XML structure (like <workflow>, <step>, <actions>)
❌ Split instructions into multiple logical XML files
❌ Infer meaningful structure from plain text

The CLI modes contain unstructured text instructions. Hand-crafted VS Code modes use rich, semantic XML. The conversion preserves the content but cannot automatically create semantic structure.

Source Files

The script converts from ../custom_modes.yaml (the consolidated CLI file).

Note: The repository also contains individual YAML files in ../agents/ organized by category. These files have the same customInstructions content but include additional metadata:

category and subcategory fields
version and lastUpdated timestamps

The consolidated file was chosen for simplicity since the instruction content is identical.

Features

Smart Merge

Converts modes incrementally without losing existing work
Updates existing modes with new data
Adds new modes without affecting others
Preserves modes not being converted

Search Capabilities

Wildcard pattern matching (* matches any characters)
Search by slug or name
Multiple patterns in single search
Case-insensitive matching

Flexible Deployment

Copy to remote environment (WSL/SSH)
Copy to local environment (native VS Code)
Auto-detects correct paths for each platform
Supports Windows, macOS, and Linux

Recommendations

Option 1: Use As-Is (Quick Start)

The converted modes work immediately in VS Code with basic functionality.

Pros:

Immediate availability of 186 modes
No additional work required

Cons:

Less structured than hand-crafted modes
Plain text instructions vs. semantic XML

Option 2: Manual Enhancement (Recommended for Favorites)

For frequently-used modes, manually restructure the XML:

Read the plain text in 1_instructions.xml
Identify logical sections (workflow, best practices, examples)
Create separate XML files with semantic structure
Use meaningful tags like <workflow>, <step>, <checklist>

Example Enhancement:

# Before (auto-converted)
rules-code-skeptic/
└── 1_instructions.xml  # All content in one file

# After (manually enhanced)
rules-code-skeptic/
├── 1_workflow.xml       # Structured workflow steps
├── 2_quality_gates.xml  # Quality checklist
├── 3_verification.xml   # Verification procedures
└── 4_examples.xml       # Concrete examples

Option 3: Hybrid Approach (Practical)

Use converted modes immediately
Gradually enhance your most-used modes
Share enhanced versions with the community

Troubleshooting

Script Errors

"File name too long" error:

Already fixed in current version (filenames truncated to 50 chars)

"AttributeError: 'list' object has no attribute 'strip'":

Already fixed in current version (proper list indexing)

Installation Issues

Modes not appearing in VS Code:

Verify files are in correct location (~/.roo/ or ./.roo/)
Restart VS Code or reload Roo Code extension
Check file permissions

Modes appear but don't work correctly:

Verify XML files are present in .roo/rules-{slug}/ directories
Check for syntax errors in custom_modes.yaml
Review VS Code console for errors

Contributing

If you enhance any modes with better XML structure:

Document your improvements
Consider sharing with the community
Create templates for similar modes

Technical Details

Script Requirements

Python 3.6+
PyYAML library (pip install pyyaml)

Script Logic

Parse CLI YAML file
Extract mode metadata
Create VS Code YAML structure
Generate XML files from customInstructions
Handle filename length limits
Provide default whenToUse if missing

File Naming

Mode directories: rules-{slug}
XML files: {number}_{sanitized_title}.xml
Sanitization: lowercase, alphanumeric + underscores, max 50 chars

Version History

v2.0 (2025-01-04): Enhanced conversion script
- Added search command with wildcard support
- Smart merge: updates/adds/preserves modes
- Added purge command
- Added copy command with remote/local support
- Fixed customModes key (was incorrectly "modes")
- Multiple pattern search support
v1.0 (2025-01-04): Initial conversion script
- Converts modes from CLI to VS Code format
- Handles filename length limits
- Generates basic XML structure

Support

For issues or questions:

Check the detailed README in converted_modes/README.md
Review Roo Code documentation
Consult the community forums

Last Updated: 2025-01-04 Script Version: 2.0 Source: Custom-Modes-Roo-Code/custom_modes.yaml (CLI format) Target: VS Code Roo Code Extension

Quick Reference

# Workflow example
python3 convert_modes.py list                    # See all modes
python3 convert_modes.py search *python*         # Find Python modes
python3 convert_modes.py convert python-pro      # Convert one mode
python3 convert_modes.py convert all             # Convert all (merges)
python3 convert_modes.py copy remote             # Install to VS Code

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
parent directory ..
converted_modes.d		converted_modes.d
converted_modes		converted_modes
ultron-best		ultron-best
ultron-imports		ultron-imports
README.md		README.md
convert_modes.py		convert_modes.py

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README.md

VS Code Custom Modes Conversion

Overview

Directory Structure

Quick Start

List Available Modes

Search for Modes

Convert Modes

Manage Output Directory

Copy to VS Code

Command-Line Options

Conversion Behavior

Installation

Conversion Script Details

What It Does

Format Differences

Limitations

Source Files

Features

Smart Merge

Search Capabilities

Flexible Deployment

Recommendations

Option 1: Use As-Is (Quick Start)

Option 2: Manual Enhancement (Recommended for Favorites)

Option 3: Hybrid Approach (Practical)

Troubleshooting

Script Errors

Installation Issues

Contributing

Technical Details

Script Requirements

Script Logic

File Naming

Version History

Support

Quick Reference

FilesExpand file tree

vs-code

Directory actions

More options

Directory actions

More options

Latest commit

History

vs-code

Folders and files

parent directory

README.md

VS Code Custom Modes Conversion

Overview

Directory Structure

Quick Start

List Available Modes

Search for Modes

Convert Modes

Manage Output Directory

Copy to VS Code

Command-Line Options

Conversion Behavior

Installation

Conversion Script Details

What It Does

Format Differences

Limitations

Source Files

Features

Smart Merge

Search Capabilities

Flexible Deployment

Recommendations

Option 1: Use As-Is (Quick Start)

Option 2: Manual Enhancement (Recommended for Favorites)

Option 3: Hybrid Approach (Practical)

Troubleshooting

Script Errors

Installation Issues

Contributing

Technical Details

Script Requirements

Script Logic

File Naming

Version History

Support

Quick Reference