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Inspiring
August 6, 2025
Answered

Visual Studio Code Extend Script Debugger and Apple Silicon

  • August 6, 2025
  • 2 replies
  • 869 views

Adobe ExtendScript Debugger is written for intel chips.

Visual Studio Code offers installs for Apple Silicon, Intel, and Universal.
ExtendScript Debugger only works on the Intel and Universal versions of Visual Studio Code.

In the last couple of months the Intel and Universal builds of Visual Studo Code have become PAINFULLY slow when running on Apple Silicon and using Rosetta. 35 seconds to open a file, and 10 second lag between typing and seeing what you typed.

In the Visual Studio Code extensions browser, when you search for ExtendScript there is the Official Adobe version and another by a developer named "Ole Henrik Stabell". https://github.com/Hennamann/ExtendScript-for-Visual-Studio-Code https://exchange.adobe.com/publisher/cc/b4770ebd-df60-11e9-b101-0e91bb176a46/ole-henrik-stabell?page=1 

Has anyone used the Ole Henrik Stabell verson on Apple Silicon Macs? Does it work (mostly) the same as the official one? Is there any hope of Adobe ever getting with the program and supporting Apple Silicon?

 

Any information would be more than I have now.

Thanks all.

Correct answer m1b

The marketplace listing for the ExtendScript Debugger has been updated with the latest version.

2 replies

m1b
Community Expert
m1bCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
August 15, 2025

The marketplace listing for the ExtendScript Debugger has been updated with the latest version.

m1b
Community Expert
Community Expert
August 6, 2025

Well the great news is... several months ago the ExtendScript debugger extension was updated to run on Apple Silicon. I notice that the read me for it in VScode marketplace still has the (wrong) disclaimer about requiring Rosetta.

 

But it works now. Try it!

- Mark

Inspiring
August 6, 2025

I'm still getting:

  • The Adobe ExtendScriptDebugger extension does not currently run natively on Apple Silicon devices. To use the extension, Visual Studio Code must be opened using Rosetta. For more information please see the extension's README.

But since the version of Code I am currently running is Silicon, Rosetta is not an option.
If I try to debug this is the message that I get.

  • Couldn't find a debug adapter descriptor for debug type 'extendscript-debug' (extension might have failed to activate)

The launch.json looks normal

{
    // Use IntelliSense to learn about possible attributes.
    // Hover to view descriptions of existing attributes.
    // For more information, visit: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=830387
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
            "type": "extendscript-debug",
            "request": "attach",
            "name": "Attach to ExtendScript Engine",
            
        },
        {
            "type": "extendscript-debug",
            "request": "launch",
            "name": "Launch Script in ExtendScript Engine"
        }
    ]
}
Inspiring
August 6, 2025

I found this post
https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/fr-native-apple-silicon-support-for-extendscript-debugger-in-vs-code/td-p/15286310
I had to sign up for Creative Cloud Developer Prerelease and was able to download extendscript-debug-2.1.0-rc1.vsix and it works.

Thanks Mark.