Setup

IDE Setup

Get up and running with your favorite IDE and MirthSync in just a few minutes. This guide works with any IDE or text editor.

Prerequisites

MirthSync installed and configured
A Mirth Connect or OIE instance to connect to
Your preferred IDE or text editor installed

Step 1: Create Your Project Directory

Create a directory for your Mirth configuration files:

mkdir my-mirth-project
cd my-mirth-project

Step 2: Pull Your Configurations

Pull your current Mirth Connect or OIE configurations:

./mirthsync.sh pull -s https://server:8443/api -u admin -t .

This creates a file structure like:

my-mirth-project/
├── Channels/
│   └── Default Group/
│       └── My_Channel/
│           ├── channel.xml
│           └── sourceConnector.js
├── CodeTemplates/
│   └── My Library/
│       └── template.xml
└── GlobalScripts/

Step 3: Open in Your IDE

Open the project folder in your IDE:

VS Code:

code .

Sublime Text:

subl .

Other IDEs: Use your IDE’s File > Open Folder menu and select your project directory.

Step 4: Configure File Associations (Optional)

Most IDEs will automatically recognize XML and JavaScript files. However, you may want to configure:

XML files - Ensure proper syntax highlighting for channel.xml files
JavaScript files - Enable JavaScript syntax for transformer scripts
JSON files - For metadata.json and configuration files

VS Code Example

VS Code typically auto-detects file types, but you can add to .vscode/settings.json:

{
  "files.associations": {
    "channel.xml": "xml",
    "*.xml": "xml"
  }
}

Most modern IDEs automatically detect file types. If needed, check your IDE’s settings for file type associations.

Step 5: Make Your First Edit

Navigate to a channel folder (e.g., channels/ADT_Inbound/)
Open channel.xml in your IDE
Find a JavaScript transformer section
Make a small edit (add a comment, modify a variable)
Save the file

You should see:

Syntax highlighting for XML tags
JavaScript syntax highlighting in transformer sections
Proper indentation and formatting

Step 6: Review and Commit Changes

Use your IDE’s Git integration or command line:

# See what changed
./mirthsync.sh -t . git status
./mirthsync.sh -t . git diff

# Commit your changes
./mirthsync.sh -t . git add
./mirthsync.sh -t . --commit-message "Update-channel-transformer" git commit

Step 7: Push Back to Mirth Connect

Deploy your changes back to Mirth Connect:

./mirthsync.sh push -s https://server:8443/api -u admin -t .

Your changes are now live in Mirth Connect!

IDE-Specific Guides

For optimized setups and advanced features:

VS Code Setup - Extensions, settings, and workflows

Common Tasks

Search Across All Channels

Most IDEs support “Find in Files” or “Search in Project”:

VS Code: Ctrl+Shift+F (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+F (Mac)
Sublime Text: Ctrl+Shift+F (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+F (Mac)
Most IDEs: Similar keyboard shortcuts or use Edit menu → Find in Files

Search for function names, variable names, or any text across all your channels and code templates.

Multi-file Editing

Many IDEs support editing multiple files simultaneously:

Split panes to compare channels side-by-side
Use multi-cursor editing for bulk changes
Open related files in tabs for quick navigation

Git Integration

Most modern IDEs have built-in Git support:

View file changes with visual diffs
Stage and commit from the IDE
Browse commit history
Create and switch branches