Provide better `vsc.dev.args` defaults

[ThomasSoeiro]

Describe the bug

Plots are barely readable with default dimensions and resolution (whatever the layout).

getOption("vsc.dev.args")
# $width
# [1] 800
# 
# $height
# [1] 1200
# 

To Reproduce

Create any plot, e.g.:

plot(1)

Can you fix this issue by yourself? (We appreciate the help)

Maybe.

vsc.dev.args is documented in the wiki.

I guess we need to edit:

vscode-R/package.json

Lines 1822 to 1828 in 6108825

	"r.plot.devArgs": {
	"type": "object",
	"markdownDescription": "The arguments for the png device to replay user graphics to show in VSCode. Requires `#r.plot.useHttpgd#` to be set to `false`. \n\nChanges the option `vsc.dev.args` in R.",
	"default": {
	"width": 800,
	"height": 1200
	},

Which is applied by:

vscode-R/R/session/vsc.R

Line 38 in 6108825

vsc.dev.args = plot$devArgs,

Expected behavior

Provide better default (especially 1:1 aspect ratio and higher resolution), e.g.:

• width: 1200,
• height: 1200,
• res: 200

This is more in line with e.g. png() et al., ggsave() defaults, or RStudio plot viewer.

Screenshots

Default:

With suggested change applied in settings.json:

    "r.plot.devArgs": {
        "width": 1200,
        "height": 1200,
        "res": 200
    }

or in .Rprofile:

options(vsc.dev.args = list(width = 1200, height = 1200, res = 200))

we get:

Environment (please complete the following information):

• OS: all
• VSCode Version: VSCodium 1.106.37943
• R Version: all
• vscode-R version: 2.8.6

Additional context

I am aware of httpgd; I am suggested better defaults for the default viewer.

Thanks for this excellent extension!

[ThomasSoeiro]

Additionnaly, I just noticed that the res properties is not allowed although it is taken into account:

[ThomasSoeiro]

httpgd was archived on CRAN on 2025-04-23: https://cran.r-project.org/package=httpgd

httpgd author suggest to install from Github but it is not always possible (e.g. due to IT restrictions in some enterprises).

So I believe it is important to provide good defaults for the basic plot viewer as an alternative. Happy to propose a PR if the maintainers agree to implement this change.