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Preview

Preview lets you inspect repository files before they are copied or exported. It is a review step for relevance, sensitivity, size, and formatting.

What it does​

PastePrompt shows a syntax-highlighted preview for readable source files. The preview can include line numbers, the file path, basic file metadata, and actions such as copy path, open in editor, or reveal in Finder.

The preview is intended to help you verify what a file contains before adding it to an LLM context bundle.

Why it matters​

Manual context building often fails because files are selected by name alone. Preview reduces that risk by letting you inspect the actual contents, verify that a file is relevant, and catch obvious sensitive data before the secret scanner runs.

Preview is especially useful for:

  • Confirming whether an interface, test, or helper is relevant.
  • Checking whether a generated file should be excluded.
  • Finding the exact line range to mention in prompt instructions.
  • Spotting large or binary files that do not belong in a bundle.
  • Opening the file in your editor for deeper review.

How to use it​

  1. Select a repository.
  2. Click a file in the tree or selected-files panel.
  3. Review the syntax-highlighted preview.
  4. Use line numbers to orient your prompt instructions or manual review.
  5. Copy the file path if you need to reference it in notes.
  6. Open the file in VS Code, Cursor, or the system default editor when you need full editor features.
  7. Remove the file from the selection if the preview shows it is irrelevant or sensitive.

Large file behavior​

Large files can make syntax highlighting slow or noisy. PastePrompt should avoid blocking the app on expensive highlighting. Depending on the configured limits, a large file may show a truncated preview, a plain-text preview, a warning, or a prompt to open the file externally.

Line numbers​

Line numbers are for orientation. They help you describe review scope and findings, but the final bundle usually includes complete selected files unless a future workflow supports line-range selection.

Example workflow​

  1. Search for Oracle.
  2. Open src/integrations/provider.ts in preview.
  3. Check the imports and external calls.
  4. Copy the path into your audit instructions.
  5. Open the file in Cursor for deeper manual review.
  6. Add src/auth/types.ts after seeing it referenced in the preview.

Limitations​

  • Syntax highlighting is not semantic analysis and does not prove correctness.
  • Binary files, invalid UTF-8 files, unreadable files, and very large files may not preview cleanly.
  • The preview can show source code that should not be copied externally. Use the selected-files panel and secret scanner before copy or export.
  • Opening a file in an editor depends on the editor being installed and accessible.