microsoft / microsoft/vscode-cpptools-api
Improve UX if CustomConfigurationProvider is not ready yet
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- Dominant language
- TypeScript
- Stars
- 33
- Forks
- 20
- PR merge metrics
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Description
Hi,
Glad to discuss how could we improve PlatformIO's developer experience when using VSCode + "cpptools" extension. See scenarios below when is clear what to do for the end developer who faces the first time with VSCode/PlatformIO:
- Developer installs PlatformIO IDE for VSCode which depends on the "cpptools"
- Developer opens PlatformIO project downloaded from Git/Internet. At this stage, project dependencies (toolchains, frameworks, libraries) are not installed/ready.
- PlatformIO resolves all dependencies automatically by pulling packages from the PlatformIO Registry. It can take a few minutes depending on the project complexity.
- Developer tries to open any C/C++ files from the project AND!!! receives warnings about unresolved headers, broken syntax, etc. Of course, "cpptools" extension is right here because PlatformIO has not been provided configuration yet. It is still in progress, we download it...
- Developer STARTS filling
c_cpp_properties.jsonbecause the "cpptools" extension forces him to do it. The developer does not understand what to do. No clue about toolchains, etc. Developer contacts PlatformIO forum or team and asks for help. Very often, developers even leave 1-star review as "it does not work".
So, how could we improve this API? The ideal scenario is to inform the "cpptools" that WE ARE ELIGIBLE to provide configuration but it can take us some time. See proposed workflow:
- PlatformIO extension starts and initiates
api = getCppToolsApi - At this moment, "cpptools" knows that there is someone responsible for the configuration and DOES NOT START its IntelliSense service waiting for the "command" when the provider is ready
- PlatformIO extension resolves all project dependencies, toolchains, and
api.notifyReady(provider). - Starting from this moment "cpptools" can complain about unresolved includes and syntax errors.
Your ideas?
P.S: As a workaround, I see that we can make a face configuration provider and provider "infinite sleep" to the provideConfigurations and other methods. Nevertheless, it is not useful from a technical perspective.
Related issue:
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First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start with the proposed getCppToolsApi, notifyReady(provider), and provideConfigurations workflow, then review the linked PlatformIO issues for context. Done would mean defining an API behavior that lets a provider signal it is not ready while dependencies are resolved, with IntelliSense complaints beginning only after the provider is ready.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- typescript, vscode
- Domain
- developer-experience, tooling
- Issue type
- Feature
- Difficulty
- 5/5
- Estimated time
- Over a week
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Needs clarification
- Newbie friendliness
- 25/100