microsoft / microsoft/vscode-cmake-tools

[Feature] Make Quick Debug Functionality More Visible

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#4,507 0 comments 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub
enhancement
Dominant language
TypeScript
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Avg merge
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Merged PRs (30d)
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Description

### Request Overview

I think the quick debug/launch is difficult to find. Here's some suggestions for making it easier to find:

### **Improve the visibility under the "Project Status" window:**

1. It makes more sense to have Debug/Launch above Package/Workflow. The dropdowns expand by default so you cannot see the Debug/Launch options immediately and at first glance I assumed that Debug/Launch would be listed before Package/Workflow since the most common developer workflow is configure, build, debug, test, launch, and then package. So, when I saw the below view once I saw Workflow, I assumed anything below that would not help me debug.

Image

2. Have the dropdowns not expand by default or at least only have a few expand by default. The view shown in the screenshot below makes it much clearer all the features available in the

Image

### **Improve the visibility under the "Project Outline" window:**

1. Currently when you hover over a source file (as shown in the below screenshot) it only gives the option to build that file, but it would be great if an additional option to debug or launch that file was added.

Image

My thought is that it would look similar to when you hover over CMakeLists.txt and see the "Configure with CMake Debugger" option appear as shown in the below screenshot.

Image
2. The top bar has the option to "Configure All Projects with CMake Debugger". It'd be great if an additional option was added either as a main option or under the "..." to debug or launch the project. I included a screenshot below of where I am referencing.

Image

### Additional Information

_No response_

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

No source files, tests, or entry points are named. Start by locating the Project Status and Project Outline UI actions, then establish which of the proposed visibility and debug/launch changes is in scope and how the resulting behavior should be verified.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
cmake, typescript, vscode
Domain
developer-experience, frontend, tooling
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
25/100

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