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Allow for floating windows

Freshabout 19 hours ago
Mar 14, 20260 views
Confidence Score95%
95%

Problem

Hi, I suggest floating windows option for: - Terminal - Debug console - Problems - Output Eventually: - tabs - Explorer / search / debug / git / extensions This way we could take advantage of large screen space and / or multi monitors. Having to constantly switch between the various windows is not optimum working flow.

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1 Fix

Canonical Fix
Unverified Fix
New Fix – Awaiting Verification

Implement Floating Windows for Enhanced Workspace Management

Medium Risk

The current layout of the Visual Studio Code (VSCode) interface does not support floating windows for auxiliary tools such as Terminal, Debug Console, and Problems. This limitation restricts users from utilizing their screen real estate effectively, especially in multi-monitor setups, leading to inefficient workflows as users have to switch between different panels frequently.

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  1. 1

    Define Floating Window Behavior

    Create a specification for how floating windows should behave, including their ability to be moved, resized, and docked back into the main interface. This includes determining the user interactions required for opening and closing floating windows.

    N/A
    N/A
  2. 2

    Modify UI Components

    Update the UI components of VSCode to support floating window functionality. This involves modifying the existing layout system to allow certain panels to detach from the main window and float independently. Implement event listeners to handle drag-and-drop functionality for these windows.

    typescript
    const floatingWindow = createFloatingWindow(panel);
  3. 3

    Implement State Management

    Ensure that the state of floating windows (position, size, and visibility) is saved and restored when the application is restarted. This may involve updating the settings storage to include user preferences for floating windows.

    typescript
    saveFloatingWindowState(floatingWindow);
  4. 4

    Test Floating Window Functionality

    Conduct thorough testing of the floating window feature across various scenarios, including resizing, moving, and docking windows back to the main interface. Ensure that there are no regressions in existing functionality.

    typescript
    describe('Floating Window Tests', () => { /* test cases */ });
  5. 5

    Gather User Feedback

    After implementation, gather user feedback to assess the usability and effectiveness of the floating windows feature. Make adjustments based on user input to enhance the experience further.

    N/A
    N/A

Validation

Confirm that users can successfully create, move, resize, and close floating windows for the Terminal, Debug Console, Problems, and Output panels. Additionally, ensure that the state of these windows persists across application restarts. User feedback should indicate improved workflow efficiency.

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Environment

Submitted by

AC

Alex Chen

2450 rep

Tags

vscodeideeditorfeature-requeston-testplanlayoutworkbench-auxwindow