microsoft / microsoft/vscode-dotnettools
[Feature Suggestion]: Make file and directory controls in `Solution Explorer` view more similar to `Folders` view
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Description
Describe the feature you'd like
This issue expands on #102.
Today, the solution explorer of the new C# Dev Kit Visual Studio Code extension exhibits a lot of inconsistencies to the folder view. This makes a lot of work inconsistent and users have to tediously get used to some new or different controls. It would be beneficial to simply adopt the controls from the folder view into the solution explorer.
Those inconsistent or missing features include
- inability to copy and paste files
- overcomplicated file creation
- command center pop-up for directory creation and file and directory renaming
The solution explorer should allow for easily copying and pasting any type of file or directory (of course, including with Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V). Duplicate file names should already have a default handling in Visual Studio Code (MyFile copy.txt), so please do not add some custom way to handle those, as it would introduce more inconsistency.
Creating new files has been made quite annoying in the solution explorer. The commands come up with extra pop-ups. The Add New File... command (which, by the way, is inconsistent to the folder view's New File...) specifically shows a list of file templates to choose from. This is overly complicated for something that should be as simple as creating a file. It additionally forces the user to re-focus their view on the command pop-up to choose a template, which 90% of the time is going to be a normal class anyway.
It is somewhat reminiscent of Visual Studio, where one can choose from a (much broader) list of file templates. But the Visual Studio team has realized that this is very annoying and instead (relatively recently) introduced a way to create files much easier, with a single keyboard shortcut. The shortcut allows the user to simply enter the file name and its extension and the program can recognize the type of file, generating a template accordingly.
It would be highly beneficial to do something similar in the solution explorer as well. Adding files in the folder view of Visual Studio Code is as easy as clicking the corresponding button or keyboard shortcut (explorer.newFile), where the element is simply added to the hierarchy instead of an extra pop-up. If the user enters a recognized file type here, a template can be choosen accordingly.
Creating directories and renaming items in the solution explorer will also come up with the same pop-up to confirm the operation. This is unnecessary and is done in-line in the folder view. The same feature should be added to the solution explorer.
Alternatives considered
No response
Environment Information
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.22621
VS Code version: Code 1.79.0 (b380da4ef1ee00e224a15c1d4d9793e27c2b6302, 2023-06-07T14:26:35.552Z)
Extension version: 0.1.83
Contributor guide
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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
Review issue #102 and compare the existing Solution Explorer controls with the Folders view, including the explorer.newFile command mentioned here. Define completion as consistent copy/paste, file and directory creation, and inline renaming without unnecessary pop-ups, while preserving VS Code's duplicate-name handling.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- csharp, vscode
- Domain
- developer-experience, tooling
- Issue type
- Feature
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 25/100