Resizable "Opened Editors"

[h2u]

Please, add ability to resize (vertically) "working files" area.

[martellaj]

Benjamin Pasero (@bpasero) Are you working on this issue meow?

[bpasero]

No, we just decided to give issues an owner.

This issue is currently assigned to the backlog. Every sprint we pick items from the backlog to plan for the current iteration. Please see https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/wiki/Issue-Tracking#planning

[martellaj]

I started to look at this one (because it's something I really wanted), but found there is a setting ("explorer.workingFiles.maxVisible": 50) that handles it perfectly. Personally, I don't think this feature should be implemented.

[OlsonDev]

I'd either like it to be resizable with the mouse or a corresponding "explorer.workingFiles.minVisible" get added. So, for example, I could set "explorer.workingFiles.dynamicHeight" to true, minVisible to 10, maxVisible to 20.

• From 0-10 files, I'd have buffer (empty space) between working files and the folder explorer
• From 11-20 files, it'd dynamically grow
• At 20+ files, I'd see a scrollbar

[martellaj]

I don't understand the need to have a "explorer.workingFiles.minVisible". What advantage of having a buffer between working files and the folder explorer? That scenario essentially exists already (other than having the buffer, which like you said, is just adding empty, unusable space into the sidebar).

I could see why people want a resizable working files, but I think the current implementation satisfies the need. I'd almost bet that when Edgars (@h2u) created the issue that they didn't know about the "explorer.workingFiles.maxVisible" setting.

EDIT: Just to be clear since my opinion isn't supporting this issue that even though GitHub calls me out as a Microsoft member, I do not work on VS Code other than as an open source project.

[OlsonDev]

What advantage of having a buffer between working files and the folder explorer?

I see two advantages. It reduces clutter and thus cognitive load. It improves muscle memory: if I know file X isn't open but is roughly Y pixels down the list, I can open it faster. With the buffer, its location doesn't change (often). Sure, I could use Ctrl+P but I might also know my current ignore settings won't find it, or there are many similarly named files so I'll have to filter through stuff. If we had tabs, this wouldn't be an issue for me: there'd be less clutter and my project files wouldn't be constantly moving on me.