Microsoft/vscode

File/Editor tab hover content customization

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#163,166 opened on Oct 10, 2022

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 (9 comments) (18 reactions) (0 assignees)TypeScript (74,848 stars) (10,221 forks)batch import
feature-requesthelp wantedworkbench-hoverworkbench-tabs

Description

Ability to customize the colouring and information generated by hovering over a file tab. What it currently shows: image

Compared with the hovering of the icons in the activity side bar, which currently looks like: image

Incidentally the activity bar hover can be changed using "editorHoverWidget" but it then also applies to hovers inside the code editor too. There should be a separation so the activity bar can be specifically targeted i.e. "activityBar.hoverBackground" and "activityBar.hoverForeground".

Potential colour customizations for the file/editor tab hover in the primary image above.

  • "tab.hoverBackground"
  • "tab.hoverForeground"

Information customization:

  • "tab.hoverInformation": "short"/"long"/"detail"

'Short' would be just the filename, 'long' would be what it currently shows (file path), and 'detail' would show file name on the first line and path on the second line.

This is particularly important from a UX perspective, because when tabs are pinned if you want to see what file it is you either have to look at the breadcrumbs or hover, and if the file path is very long then on a large monitor your eyes are darting half the width of the screen. Incidentally the breadcrumbs itself could have a colour option to distinguish the active file from the rest of the path; what it currently shows:

image

The tab hover could also be brought more inline with the activity bar hover, which has a tiny triangle psuedo-element pointing to the element being hovered over as per image 2.

Contributor guide

Tech stack
typescriptcss
Domain
frontend
Issue type
feature
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-2 days
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
stale
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
clear
Prerequisites
Understanding of VS Code's theme APIKnowledge of CSS color properties
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
50
Research direction
Examine the VS Code source code for tab hover implementation, particularly in the 'src/vs/workbench/parts/editor' directory. Look at existing hover widgets like 'editorHoverWidget' and the activity bar hover to understand the theming structure. Consider creating new theme color tokens for tab hover. Review the VS Code theme extension documentation for adding new color keys and ensure the changes are consistent with the existing theming system.