Markdown Refactor

Overview

Markdown Refactor is a VS Code extension for small Markdown editing refactors:

• Extract selected Markdown into a new linked file.
• Add spaces between CJK/full-width text, English words, and numbers.
• Convert punctuation between half-width and full-width forms.
• Cycle Markdown task markers through a configurable state list.
• Unify the list marker format for selected lines.
• Unify the ending punctuation for selected lines.
• Highlight bracket-style task checkbox states while editing raw Markdown.
• Install Markdown Preview Enhanced support for custom task marker rendering.

Repository: zedware/vscode-markdown-refactor

Usage

Open a Markdown file and run:

Markdown: Refactor...

Default shortcut:

Ctrl+Alt+M

Available actions:

1. Extract selection to a single Markdown file
2. Space CJK, English words, and numbers
3. Space CJK, English words, numbers, and punctuation
4. Convert punctuation to full width
5. Convert punctuation to half width
6. Cycle task checkbox
7. Unify list format
8. Unify trailing punctuation
9. Install Markdown Preview Enhanced support

You can type the number of the action in the Quick Pick input box to execute it immediately.

Spacing and punctuation actions work on the current selection. If nothing is selected, they apply to the whole Markdown document. Punctuation conversion asks for confirmation before changing the whole document and preserves leading Markdown syntax such as headings and list markers.

Task marker cycling works on the list line at the cursor, including multiple cursors. Default shortcut: Ctrl+Alt+W. Plain list items are activated with the first configured emoji marker, while existing bracket-style task markers keep cycling through [ ], [/], [x], [-], [!].

Settings:

• markdownRefactor.linkStyle: markdown, embed, or wiki
• markdownRefactor.defaultDirectory: optional extraction directory relative to the current file
• markdownRefactor.checkboxCycle: ordered task marker states, default ⬜, ⏳, ✅, ❌, ❗
• markdownRefactor.decorateCheckboxes: highlight bracket-style checkbox states in the editor

Checkbox settings in settings.json:

{
  "markdownRefactor.checkboxCycle": ["⬜", "⏳", "✅", "❌", "❗"],
  "markdownRefactor.decorateCheckboxes": true
}

Default marker meanings:

• ⬜: TODO
• ⏳: In Progress
• ✅: Done
• ❌: Cancelled
• ❗: Important

You can use the legacy bracket cycle too:

{
  "markdownRefactor.checkboxCycle": ["[ ]", "[/]", "[x]", "[-]", "[!]"]
}

Decoration highlighting can be turned on or off with markdownRefactor.decorateCheckboxes. Bracket-style markers use built-in status colors, custom non-emoji markers use a fallback highlight style, and emoji markers are not decorated.

Markdown Preview Enhanced

Markdown Preview Enhanced uses its own .crossnote customization files. To render Markdown Refactor task markers in MPE previews, run:

Markdown: Install Markdown Preview Enhanced Support

The command copies packaged templates into the selected notes folder:

.crossnote/parser.js
.crossnote/style.less

It asks before overwriting existing files. Run it once for each notes folder where you want MPE preview support, then reload the MPE preview.

Installation

From VS Code Marketplace:

code --install-extension zedware.vscode-markdown-refactor

Or search for Markdown Refactor in VS Code Extensions.

From Git source code:

git clone git@github.com:zedware/vscode-markdown-refactor.git
cd vscode-markdown-refactor
npm install
npm run compile
npx @vscode/vsce package
code --install-extension .\vscode-markdown-refactor-0.3.2.vsix --force