Better empty state for Debug sidebar

[miguelsolorio]

We currently provide empty state text for all of our sidebar panels except for Debug. My suggestion is to hide the content and use a similar message:

Current	Suggestion

Here are the empty states for our sidebars:

Explorer

Search

Git

[isidorn]

@misolori please note that if there is no debug session currently active a user can still have a bunch of watch expressions and a bunch of breakpoints.
So showing an empty view would also prevent the user from adding a function breakpoint or adding a watch expression before he starts his first session.

Apart from that I do not see the benefit of the suggested view.

I could potentially be convinced to show some novice friendly view which could help the user start his first session (which cuold be easily dismissable).

fyi @weinand

[miguelsolorio]

@isidorn in the scenario where they have watch expressions or breakpoints then I wouldn't expect to see this. This should only appear when there is nothing set.

I'm mostly interested in making it explicitly clear what state the view is in, it's weird to have those categories empty when we do show text in other views.

I'd also be interested in seeing some message that is dismissible as well.

[isidorn]

@misolori but what if I am in an empty state and I want to add a watch expression? What do I do then? Also holds for function breakpoint.

[miguelsolorio]

@isidorn fair point. Would it be overkill if we had empty text for each section? Having a section empty still feels odd.

[isidorn]

@misolori empty text for each section sounds like to much noise to me.
I would prefer some easily dismisable overlay with some text and two buttons, one is "start simple debug", the other would be "got it". Just an idea on top of my head

[bpasero]

@misolori is this for when no folder is opened or in general when no debug configuration exists?

[isidorn]

Just for the record when no folder is opened we still support debugging, same as when no debug configuration exists.

[bpasero]

@isidorn yeah and in that case a blue button "Start Debug" could be an invitation to start debugging even if a user does not expect it works.

[isidorn]

@bpasero what a lovely invitation that would be
I am open for UX sketches and experimenting with this -> on deck

[miguelsolorio]

Something like this:

Or this: