Requesting setting to hide discussion bar

src/vs/workbench/contrib/comments/browser/commentService.ts

@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ import { ICommentThreadChangedEvent } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/comments/common
 import { CommentMenus } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/comments/browser/commentMenus';
 import { ICellRange } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/notebook/common/notebookRange';
 import { IWorkbenchLayoutService } from 'vs/workbench/services/layout/browser/layoutService';
+import { IConfigurationService } from 'vs/platform/configuration/common/configuration';
+import { COMMENTS_SECTION, ICommentsConfiguration } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/comments/common/commentsConfiguration';
 
 export const ICommentService = createDecorator<ICommentService>('commentService');
 
@@ -145,15 +147,40 @@ export class CommentService extends Disposable implements ICommentService {
 	private _isCommentingEnabled: boolean = true;
 
 	constructor(
-		@IInstantiationService protected instantiationService: IInstantiationService,
-		@IWorkbenchLayoutService layoutService: IWorkbenchLayoutService
+		@IInstantiationService protected readonly instantiationService: IInstantiationService,
+		@IWorkbenchLayoutService private readonly layoutService: IWorkbenchLayoutService,
+		@IConfigurationService private readonly configurationService: IConfigurationService
 	) {
 		super();
-		this._register(layoutService.onDidChangeZenMode(e => {
-			this.enableCommenting(!e);
+		this._handleConfiguration();
+		this._handleZenMode();
+	}
+
+	private _handleConfiguration() {
+		this._isCommentingEnabled = this._defaultCommentingEnablement;
+		this._register(this.configurationService.onDidChangeConfiguration(e => {
+			if (e.affectsConfiguration('comments.visible')) {
+				this.enableCommenting(this._defaultCommentingEnablement);
+			}
 		}));
 	}
 
+	private _handleZenMode() {
+		let preZenModeValue: boolean = this._isCommentingEnabled;
+		this._register(this.layoutService.onDidChangeZenMode(e => {
+			if (e) {
+				preZenModeValue = this._isCommentingEnabled;
+				this.enableCommenting(false);
+			} else {
+				this.enableCommenting(preZenModeValue);
+			}
+		}));
+	}
+
+	private get _defaultCommentingEnablement(): boolean {
+		return !!this.configurationService.getValue<ICommentsConfiguration>(COMMENTS_SECTION).visible;
+	}
+
 	get isCommentingEnabled(): boolean {
 		return this._isCommentingEnabled;
 	}

src/vs/workbench/contrib/comments/browser/comments.contribution.ts

@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ Registry.as<IConfigurationRegistry>(ConfigurationExtensions.Configuration).regis
 			type: 'boolean',
 			default: true,
 			description: nls.localize('useRelativeTime', "Determines if relative time will be used in comment timestamps (ex. '1 day ago').")
+		},
+		'comments.visible': {
+			type: 'boolean',
+			default: true,
+			description: nls.localize('comments.visible', "Controls the visibility of the comments bar and comment threads in editors that have commenting ranges and comments.")
 		}
 	}
 });

src/vs/workbench/contrib/comments/common/commentsConfiguration.ts

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 export interface ICommentsConfiguration {
 	openView: 'never' | 'file' | 'firstFile';
 	useRelativeTime: boolean;
+	visible: boolean;
 }
 
 export const COMMENTS_SECTION = 'comments';