Hide automatic / command variables

[ukdocCT]

Prerequisites

• I have written a descriptive issue title.
• I have searched all open and closed issues to ensure it has not already been reported.
• I have read the troubleshooting guide.
• I am sure this issue is with the extension itself and does not reproduce in a standalone PowerShell instance.
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Summary

While using the Powershell extension when debugging larger scripts i am finding that having to scroll through all the automatic / script / process variables to find the specific one i am after is becoming difficult when i have a larger number of script variables.
Is there a way of hiding all of the automatic variables ($_, $Preference, $errors etc) unless they are explicitly referenced in the script?
I have searched to see if it is something other have described but not found a way.

PowerShell Version

Name                           Value
----                           -----
PSVersion                      7.5.4
PSEdition                      Core
GitCommitId                    7.5.4
OS                             Microsoft Windows 10.0.26200
Platform                       Win32NT
PSCompatibleVersions           {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0…}
PSRemotingProtocolVersion      2.3
SerializationVersion           1.1.0.1
WSManStackVersion              3.0

Name             : Visual Studio Code Host
Version          : 2025.4.0
InstanceId       : 651c3667-fd86-4ed8-b8d6-7768a49de82f
UI               : System.Management.Automation.Internal.Host.InternalHostUserInterface
CurrentCulture   : en-GB
CurrentUICulture : en-GB
PrivateData      : Microsoft.PowerShell.ConsoleHost+ConsoleColorProxy
DebuggerEnabled  : True
IsRunspacePushed : False
Runspace         : System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.LocalRunspace

Visual Studio Code Version

1.109.5
072586267e68ece9a47aa43f8c108e0dcbf44622
x64

Extension Version

ms-vscode.powershell@2025.4.0

Steps to Reproduce

Launch any script and break on the very first line.
Your debug variables list will look something like this:

The only variable i have defined in my script at this point is $Day but all the other automatic variables are getting in the way.

Visuals

No response

Logs

No response

[JustinGrote]

Thanks for your submission!

So without creating a curated list (which is fraught with update difficulties) this would be difficult to do. Have you considered using the watch pane and adding the variables you care about there? That's what it's there for. The "auto" section should generally show variables that are in scope of your current closure, though it's not perfect as well and can always use improvements.