#0 fix: build command prompts for deploy folder purge and passes mcdev flags

Author: JoernBerkefeld

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ All notable changes to the **SFMC DevTools** VS Code extension are documented in
 
 Publishing is triggered automatically via GitHub Actions when a new release is created.
 
+## [3.1.1] — 2026-04-08
+
+### Fixed
+
+- **Build (Template + Definition)**: the command now asks whether to clear the deploy folder before building and passes `--purge` or `--no-purge` to mcdev so the CLI no longer waits indefinitely on an interactive prompt in the VS Code terminal.
+
 ## [3.1.0] — 2026-04-08
 
 ### Added

package.json

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 	"name": "sfmc-devtools-vscode",
 	"displayName": "SFMC DevTools",
 	"description": "Unofficial IDE for Salesforce Marketing Cloud - Handle and manipulate several SFMC assets (journeys, automations, queries, SSJS, AMPScript, etc..) between your local machine and Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC).",
-	"version": "3.1.0",
+	"version": "3.1.1",
 	"license": "MIT",
 	"publisher": "Accenture-oss",
 	"repository": {

src/devtools/commands/templating.ts

@@ -100,6 +100,8 @@ class TemplatingCommands extends Commands {
 			if ("retrieve" in parameters && parameters.retrieve) optional.push("--retrieve");
 			if ("skipValidation" in parameters && parameters.skipValidation)
 				optional.push(this.retrieveFlag("skipValidation"));
+			if (parameters.purge === true) optional.push(this.retrieveFlag("purge"));
+			else optional.push(this.retrieveFlag("noPurge"));
 			const buFromVal = parameters.buFrom as string;
 			const buToVal = parameters.buTo as string;
 			const marketFromVal = parameters.marketFrom as string;

src/devtools/index.ts

@@ -1045,7 +1045,8 @@ class DevToolsExtension {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Handles the build command by prompting the user for source/target BU and market selections.
+	 * Handles the build command by prompting the user for source/target BU, markets, and whether
+	 * to clear the deploy folder (maps to mcdev `--purge` / `--no-purge`).
 	 */
 	async handleBuildCommand(files: TDevTools.IExecuteFileDetails[]): Promise<void> {
 		try {
@@ -1081,12 +1082,20 @@ class DevToolsExtension {
 				| undefined;
 			if (!marketTo) return;
 
+			const purgeChoice = (await this.requestInputWithOptions(
+				[MessagesEditor.buildPurgeOptionYes, MessagesEditor.buildPurgeOptionNo],
+				MessagesEditor.buildPurgePrompt,
+				false
+			)) as string | undefined;
+			if (!purgeChoice) return;
+
 			this.executeCommand("build", {
 				filesDetails: supportedFiles,
 				buFrom: buFrom[0],
 				buTo: buTo[0],
 				marketFrom,
-				marketTo
+				marketTo,
+				purge: purgeChoice === MessagesEditor.buildPurgeOptionYes
 			});
 		} catch (error) {
 			this.writeLog(this.mcdev.getPackageName(), error as string, EnumsExtension.LoggerLevel.ERROR);

src/messages/editor.ts

@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ const noBusinessUnitsFound = (credential: string) =>
 	`No business units were found for the selected credential: "${credential}". Please check the configuration file.`;
 const unsupportedAction = (action: string, metadataTypes: string[]) =>
 	`The selected metadata type${metadataTypes.length > 1 ? "s do" : " does"} not support "${action}": ${metadataTypes.join(", ")}`;
+const buildPurgePrompt = "Clear deploy folder before building?";
+const buildPurgeOptionYes = "Yes, clear deploy folder before building";
+const buildPurgeOptionNo = "No, keep existing deploy folder";
 
 export {
 	recommendedExtensions,
@@ -46,5 +49,8 @@ export {
 	noCredentialFound,
 	deleteConfirmation,
 	noBusinessUnitsFound,
-	unsupportedAction
+	unsupportedAction,
+	buildPurgePrompt,
+	buildPurgeOptionYes,
+	buildPurgeOptionNo
 };

src/test/suite/devtools/templatingCommands.test.ts

@@ -64,3 +64,66 @@ suite("TemplatingCommands – clone", () => {
 		assert.strictEqual(result.alias, "clone");
 	});
 });
+
+function makeBuildParams(purge?: boolean): TDevTools.ICommandParameters {
+	const base = {
+		files: [
+			{
+				credential: "",
+				projectPath: "/project",
+				topFolder: "/retrieve/",
+				metadata: [{ metadatatype: "dataExtension", key: "myDE", path: "/retrieve/cred/bu/dataExtension" }]
+			}
+		],
+		buFrom: "srcCred/srcBU",
+		buTo: "tgtCred/tgtBU",
+		marketFrom: "sourceMarket",
+		marketTo: "targetMarket"
+	};
+	return purge === undefined ? base : { ...base, purge };
+}
+
+suite("TemplatingCommands – build", () => {
+	let cmd: TemplatingCommands;
+	setup(() => {
+		cmd = new TemplatingCommands();
+	});
+
+	test("commandsList includes build", () => {
+		assert.ok(cmd.commandsList().includes("build"));
+	});
+
+	test("build with purge true includes --purge", () => {
+		const result = cmd.build(makeBuildParams(true));
+		const paramStr = result.config[0][0];
+		assert.ok(paramStr.includes("--purge"));
+		assert.ok(!paramStr.includes("--no-purge"));
+	});
+
+	test("build with purge false includes --no-purge", () => {
+		const result = cmd.build(makeBuildParams(false));
+		const paramStr = result.config[0][0];
+		assert.ok(paramStr.includes("--no-purge"));
+		assert.ok(!/\s--purge(\s|$)/.test(paramStr));
+	});
+
+	test("build without purge defaults to --no-purge", () => {
+		const result = cmd.build(makeBuildParams());
+		const paramStr = result.config[0][0];
+		assert.ok(paramStr.includes("--no-purge"));
+	});
+
+	test("build returns alias build", () => {
+		const result = cmd.build(makeBuildParams(false));
+		assert.strictEqual(result.alias, "build");
+	});
+
+	test("run dispatches to build", () => {
+		const result = cmd.run("build", makeBuildParams(true));
+		assert.strictEqual(result.alias, "build");
+	});
+
+	test("build throws when required properties missing", () => {
+		assert.throws(() => cmd.build({ files: [] }), /\[templating_build\]/);
+	});
+});