Identify design inconsistencies with UI + JSON expriences

[miguelsolorio]

Overview

This issues is to cover the various experiences where we have a rich editing experiences (UI) and a text based configuration (JSON). Some of these experiences have overlap while others have gaps that we'd like to be covered. Below is a list of areas where we have these experience with a list of features that are either missing or need better coverage.

• Settings
• Keybindings
• Snippets
• Extensions

Settings

UI

• Objects
  • files.associations
  • emmet.includeLanguages
  • editor.codeActionsOnSave
  • editor.quickSuggestions
  • editor.tokenColorCustomizationsExperimental
  • terminal.integrated.env.linux
  • terminal.integrated.env.osx
  • terminal.integrated.env.windows
  • remote.extensionKind
  • sync.ignoredSettings
  • emmet.syntaxProfiles
  • emmet.variables
• Nested Objects
  • editor.tokenColorCustomizations
  • workbench.colorCustomizations
  • workbench.experimental.editorAssociations
  • launch
  • extensions.confirmedUriHandlerExtensionIds
  • workbench.experimental.editorAssociations
  • remote.extensionKind
• Arrays
  • editor.rulers
• Boolean or Strings
  • editor.fontLigatures
• Inputs
  • terminal.integrated.automationShell.linux
  • terminal.integrated.automationShell.osx
  • terminal.integrated.automationShell.windows
• Deprecated settings

JSON

Keybindings

UI

• IntelliSense for when clause
• Sorting columns
• Reset keys recorder

JSON

Snippets

UI

• Configuring snippets

JSON

• Central management of all snippets

Extensions

UI

• Bulk install/uninstall

CLI

code --install-extension ms-azuretools.vscode-azurefunctions

JSON

• No experience

devcontainers.json is a configuration file for our remote containers, and in that configuration file you can specify extensions via:

{
    "extensions": [
        "ms-azuretools.vscode-azurefunctions",
        "ms-vscode.csharp"
    ]
}

We should look at adopting a similar patter for user extensions, in the same way that you can edit user settings via JSON.

[NotWearingPants]

Don't forget extension settings, such as an array of dictionary words in a spell checker extension

[miguelsolorio]

@NotWearingPants I don't think extension experiences will be part of this scope as we don't control their UI.

[chpxu]

I am not sure but when inputting settimgs via UI, I notice that they aren't sorted (ie, not all the files.* are together),
Is it possible to have them auto-sorted into their respective categories, as I thinl that would be very beneficial, if it isn't implemented already

[gulshan]

I mostly use JSON settings editor. One thing I always want to know is- what is the default value of this settings. It was possible in he side-by-side UI.

[miguelsolorio]

@gulshan you can still see the default value from intellisense:

[gulshan]

I think this is a new feature. Not getting it, in the 1.41.1 stable version, unless it is part of documentation tooltip. Also, this info should be shown in the line edit button.

[Gama11]

@gulshan I'm getting it in 1.41.1.

Note that that "detail" string of a completion item is only shown when it's selected, so if the default of a boolean setting is true (like with outline.showVariables for instance), you'd have to press "down" once to see it:

[gulshan]

I see this-

You got the tip inlined somehow.

[Gama11]

You can toggle between those two display modes with Ctrl+Space.

[gulshan]

The default values will be more useful for open value settings involving numbers, strings and arrays. What I feel important in this regard is, a clear way to view the default value of a setting, in both json and visual editor.

[regs01]

workbench.settings.useSplitJSON should be true by default. It's far easier to look default and explore settings when you see options. And it's easier to switch off than to switch on.

[usernamehw]

Settings UI are not showing deprecated settings. When you mark a setting with deprecationMessage - the message is visible in settings.json, but UI simply ignores those settings.

[miguelsolorio]

@usernamehw what is your expectation for what you'd want to see from the UI side? Something like below?

[miguelsolorio]

Closing this issue as it has identified the areas/gaps between our UI and JSON experiences. Feel free to keep commenting on this issue if there are other items that come up that were missed.

[usernamehw]

@usernamehw what is your expectation for what you'd want to see from the UI side? Something like below?

@misolori Yes, the purpose of deprecationMessage is so that people would read it.