microsoft / microsoft/TypeScript

Enums and interfaces do not have definitions in quick info/tooltips

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Domain: LS: Quick Info Experience Enhancement Help Wanted Suggestion
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Description

The issue might be related to this one, but mine is not about version 3.0, and is not solely about imports.

Search Terms

enum, description, definition, pop-up, tooltip, vs code, interface, suggestion

Suggestion

Hovering over enums and interfaces, should show their definition, i.e. I have this enum (or an interface):

enum enumName {
    ONE = 1;
    TWO = 2;
    THREE = 3;
}

If I hover over this enum, wherever I use it (whether it is imported to another file or used locally where it is declared), I would like to see what this enum is all about (essentially what are the properties).

This is what I see right now when I hover over enums or interfaces:
image
image

As a workaround, I currently need to add this type of JSDoc comments right above the enum declaration.

/** Props:
*    @param ONE 1;
*    @param TWO 2;
*    @param THREE 3;
*/

Which yields to:
image

Use Cases

This feature would save time & effort.
The shortcoming of the current approach is that either need to add ${2+numberOfEnumProperties} lines of comments or go to the file, where enum is declared, locate the enum there and then familiarize myself with its properties.

Examples

image

Checklist

I am not that experienced to be able to answer the questions below.

  • This wouldn't be a breaking change in existing TypeScript / JavaScript code
  • This wouldn't change the runtime behavior of existing JavaScript code
  • This could be implemented without emitting different JS based on the types of the expressions
  • This isn't a runtime feature (e.g. new expression-level syntax)

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Reproduce the reported quick-info behavior with the enum and interface examples in the issue, both locally and when imported. Start by tracing the TypeScript quick-info/tooltip entry point, then identify the existing display behavior for these declarations. Done means hovering shows their definitions and members in both local and imported uses, with relevant tests updated.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
typescript
Domain
developer-experience, tooling
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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