Explore local QuickPick control

[hbons]

Something that comes up a lot is that the quick pick is non-local, and it's easy to miss when triggered through a UI control (as opposed to by the user through a shortcut). The problem gets worse on large/multiple screens. In addition to that, the cross-platform (webview) menu possibilities are very limited. It's not possible to use icons, groups, description etc. And in a webview menus are static and must be predefined.

QuickPick guidelines: https://code.visualstudio.com/api/ux-guidelines/quick-picks

Considerations:

• Benefits?
  • Filter functionality
  • Filter placeholder text serves as menu title
  • Group labels
• When?
  • Do use for variable lists (like branches, repositories, files, folders, etc.)
  • Do use for recents/favorites/suggested
  • Don't use it as a replacement for a menu
• Limitations/problems/misuse?
  • Don't add more than 3 other actions (e.g. "Create Branch" at the top of a list of branches)
  • Don't use submenus or multiple steps
  • No shortcuts
  • Should not be combined in any way with native menus
  • Should only be able to triggered through a main UI element.
  • Should not be used to list a set that's always the same
  • Multistep allowed?
• Specs?
  • New guidelines: filter field MUST have a descriptive placeholder text, mentioning what is being picked and what for: For example: Select a color for profile 'Ruby' or Select a milestone for this pull request
• Simplified placeholder label? e.g. just "Milestone"
• Properties? width/height/euro
• Setting: Allow Local QuickPick

Mockup:

This would essentially be a very powerful menu, but using existing QuickPick APIs.

cc @daviddossett

[mjbvz]

Also interested in something like this for the code action UI. Users would like the ability to type to filter the list of code actions

[hbons]

feedback from @MostlyBlindGamer@dragonscave.space:

"I often miss it when zoomed into the original context.

I already use an accessibility option originally intended for hearing loss and deafness to deal with pop ups like this: the whole screen flashes on audio alerts, so I at least know I’m missing something. Adding an optional audio alert would make this option available.

I also find having the command palette and such in the center of the window more intuitive, in general.

Having the option of popping this up in context (like a context menu) would be cool though. I like your idea."

[Tyriar]

I've considered doing something like this for terminal run recent command and it's also come up for the refactor menu

[Tyriar]

There's a concern here that this would take away a lot of vscode's simplicity when popups start appearing all over the place, as opposed to always being in the same spot.

[eamodio]

I would argue that the "simplicity" in this case is harmful to the experience -- since the user is forced into context switching. I would also argue, though separate from this issue, is that the "simplicity" of only having a quickpick UI vs a richer (though still simple) "form builder" UI also does active harm to the experience.