Multi-Root Workspace: Exclude Subfolders

[chriszwickerocteris]

Similar to what #45470 is asking for, I would like to exclude certain folders from my multi-root workspace layout, mainly those subfolders that are mounted as root folders themselves, but sometimes also other files / folders.

I suggest simply adding an ignore section, e.g.

{
  "folders": [
    {
      "path": "foo",
      "ignore": [
        "baz/"
      ]
    },
    {
      "path": "bar"
    },
    {
      "path": "foo/baz"
    },
    {
      "name": "Root",
      "path": ".",
      "ignore": [
        "foo/",
        "bar/",
        ".git/"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "settings": {}
}

[vscodebot]

This issue is being closed to keep the number of issues in our inbox on a manageable level, we are closing issues that are not going to be addressed in the foreseeable future: We look at the number of votes the issue has received and the number of duplicate issues filed. More details here. If you disagree and feel that this issue is crucial: We are happy to listen and to reconsider.

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[chriszwickerocteris]

I'm a bit confused by how this is being handled:

• this feature request suggests a way to handle what Add a setting to not promote workspace folders to top level if they are children of another top level folder #45470 requests and additional requirements in a way that seems much simpler to implement than what is suggested in Add a setting to not promote workspace folders to top level if they are children of another top level folder #45470.
• the issue is closed as "out of scope", but there's no information as to why - I understand everyone has very limited time available, but some kind of feedback would be helpful...

[rucoder]

up vote for the feature

[pacifier007]

These feature requests keep getting marked as out-of-scope with no explanation. It's a perfectly valid and needed feature. Example, my use-case here: #91102 (comment)

Related tickets:
#50638
#48262

[gnowland]

I agree, it would be great to be able to add a folder but exclude its sub-folders if we only want to work with the *files* within said folder, but not sub-folders.

[dfoverdx]

I figured out the solution that's mentioned in the documentation but poorly (arguably never) explained. I leave a comment here for the next sorry dev that comes looking for it.

In the root of the workspace folder in which you want to exclude files, create the .vscode/settings.json. In this file, you can set files.exclude and it will only apply to that workspace folder, even if other workspace folders are subdirectories.

File tree

/
┣ .vscode/
┃ ┗ settings.json
┣ sub-dir/
┃ ┗ index.js
┗ workspace.code-workspace

workspace.code-workspace

{
  "folders": [
    { "path": "./", "name": "root" },
    { "path": "./sub-dir" },
  ]
}

./.vscode/settings.json

{
  "files.exclude": {
    "**/.git": true,
    "**/.svn": true,
    "**/.hg": true,
    "**/CVS": true,
    "**/.DS_Store": true,
    "sub-dir": true,
  },
}

The explorer will now show two workspace roots: root and sub-dir. Under root, ./sub-dir is not listed. Under sub-dir, all of its files are listed.

[Axelfoley85]

It is also possible to include these settings into the workspace configuration

{
	"folders": [
		{
			"path": "sub-fold"
		},
		{
			"name": "root",
			"path": ".",
		},
	],
	"settings": {
		"files.exclude": {
			"sub-fold": true,
		},
	}
}

[stratboy]

I think this issue is still not addressed very well.
And guys, I think we all want just the same settings syntax that Sublime Text has.
Or, anyway, what chriszwickerocteris is suggesting on his original post.

[FedericoBiccheddu]

I did resolve the issue following dfoverdx's instructions.

My goal was to hide source folders in the root, but keep them in their own sub-folder because the have the same name:

.
├── config
├── Makefile
└── source
    ├── sub-folder-1
    │   ├── package.json
    │   ├── source
    │   └── tsconfig.json
    └── sub-folder-2
        ├── config
        ├── package.json
        ├── source
        └── tsconfig.json

Adding files.exclude in the workspace, setting is propagated to sub-folders. In my case source folder was hidden in both root and sub-folders. Adding it in settings.json resolved this issue.

[thomasoatman]

It is nice that the exclude setting was added. But I can't figure out how to ignore only Folders.
I have too many folders (and they can get added and removed at any time) to name each of them.
Using glob wildcards though hides FILES too.
Frankly I would love a setting to not show subfolders at all.
But if there is a way to tell am Exclude entry to only match folders, that would be wonderful too.

I tried this expression hoping it would only exclude names that include a '.':
"**/[/[,_,0-9,A-Z,a-z]*[^.]*": true,

but it effectively hid everything.

Would also be cool to exclude 'empty' folders. For instance, I have a subfolder 'graphics' that has jpg files. I exclude *.jpg, but the graphics folder (now empty) still shows -- kindof useless....

[studgeek]

@Axelfoley85 I'm sorry, I'm not following how your example works in practice. For example given the following I still see roota/subfold in my vscode explorer. Thx!

"folders": [
		{
			"path": "../../roota"
		},
		{
			"path": "../../rootb"
		}
	],
"settings": {
        "files.exclude": {
              "../../roota/subfold": true,
       }

[Axelfoley85]

@Axelfoley85 I'm sorry, I'm not following how your example works in practice. For example given the following I still see roota/subfold in my vscode explorer. Thx!

"folders": [
		{
			"path": "../../roota"
		},
		{
			"path": "../../rootb"
		}
	],
"settings": {
        "files.exclude": {
              "../../roota/subfold": true,
       }

Ok, @studgeek

not sure but would it be a difference if you did this instead?

"folders": [
 		    {
 			"path": "../../roota/subfold"
 		},
		{
 			"path": "../../rootb"
 		}
 	], 
"settings": { 
"files.exclude": { 
"../../roota/subfold": true, 
}

Sorry for bad formatting on mobile.

[studgeek]

Thanks. I still want to view the rest of roota in the workspace though. To be honest, I'm not seeing what the value is of adding a folder to a multi-root workspace and then excluding that whole folder?