Support a grid layout for editors

[Tekbr]

• VSCode Version: Windows 10
• OS Version: 1.7.0 - insider

-- Sorry for the English, I used Google Translator --

Leave even better drag and drop, detecting where we point out the window.(#224, #1749).

How does the Atom. I think it's more intuitive.

[Johnsoct]

Leaving VSCode today, because of the lack of progress in over a year. I'm sincerely disappointed.

[etznap]

I love minimized code, for reuse it, the grid view helps me alot for developing in any lenguage, getting a useful, simple, monitor space use...

Sorry for my english... :P ... hope this feature would be very soon...

[natebass]

This issue was brought up in the Iteration Plan for January 2018 by @egamma.

"We understand that this feature has many up votes, but there are others with more votes. All I can say for now is that the feature is on our radar."

[pallapo]

Can anyone explain me how many votes a must an issue have to force developers to take it into account? This is a really useful feature and all of us miss it a lot, I mean A LOT!

[igolskyi]

@pallapo see https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3Afeature-request+sort%3Areactions-%2B1-desc there, this task is number 5 by the number of votes

[MikeGitb]

I honestly doubt that this is just a matter of how many votes exactly a feature has. They also have to take into account the expected necessesary effort as well as any synergy effects / dependencies. And the votes are anyway just a very rough indicator of how important a feature is for the community (e.g. I can't prioritize one feature I'd like to see over another)

That being said, I am surprised that this is apparently such a problematic feature to implement.

[andradei]

@MikeGitb Exactly. I think they will have to focus on this one when it comes the time and leave other important features on the side because everything indicates this one feature will mean a big change in the current architecture of VSCode. Even if this one feature is worked on right now, I doubt it would be shipped in the next release cycle or the next unless this is a all hands on deck approach.

I think multi-windows might help people with wider screens or 4K a little until this is implemented.

[testacode]

PLEASE WORK ON THIS!!! This is the only thing stopping us (10 people here at work) from using VSCODE as we are all using huge monitors! Por favor!!

[amc123-glitch]

I had made a post about this before knowing this was currently active. Is there any update from the VSCode team on whether or not they think this is value use of their time to make the editor better for their users? This is a feature that would be beneficial to a lot of people who don't code on big screens or are coding on laptops and want to see their files full width but need to have two or 3 files open at a time.

I know for me when coding on my 13 inch MacBook pro or 15 inch Lenovo Laptop I want to move around but tend to stay at my desk so I can be plugged into another monitor. This is a feature that the almost all other competitors have and seems to be a feature a lot of people in here miss when switching from Sublime, Atom, Vim, etc.

[cliffordfajardo]

Atom Editor introduced the concepts of Docks which is what most people (including myself) would like in VScode & are referring to in this thread:

Also created a tweet with the gifs here ➡️ retweet to voice your concerns 😄

I use this feature everyday in Atom. Here's a contrived demo gif of me with 2 code files open, my linter & errors panel open and 2 terminals open. All of the aforementioned are draggable and placeable pretty much anywhere in the editor 🔥 ✌️

Even the git diff viewer is draggable anywhere in the UI too

[Srekel]

Yeah I hope what @cliffordfajardo posted is what's getting implemented, it's very powerful and intuitive. Of course, if its possible to drag tabs out into their own windows, that would be amazing. Multimonitor editing and debugging is where it's at.

What I'm wondering is, why haven't the VS Code devs simply ticked the ✅ Support Grid Layout checkbox yet and given it to us?? No seriously, this isn't a trivial change so no wonder it's not here yet. :)

[edwintorok]

This would be essential for the Vim keybindings of <C-w>w and <C-w>s to work correctly

[l0k18]

Sorry to necrobump, but I would very much like to at least have 4 side by side as I have a 3840 pixel wide display and 3 as a limit only really corresponds to 1920 wide pixel displays.

[NL33]

This would be awesome--the ability to view four windows at once: two windows across the top, and two windows across the bottom. Easily done in Atom and Sublime Text. The lack of this feature is why I don't use VS Code.

[kmf]

Thanks for Looking at this @aberonni

[sorahn]

I touched on this a bit in the 'terminal tabs bug', but is anyone interested in having the editors use tabs full of panes (the way the terminals do) instead of panes full of tabs (the way this thread/atom/sublime) is about?

tabs full of panes would allow you have a group of files open, arranged in some layout. Then when you change tabs, another group of files, in a similar or different layout.

[l0k18]

I would like it to be exactly like the multi-panel terminal with multiple layouts like the linux terminal client 'Tilix'. The drag-to-side feature, but add top, bottom, left and right to each panel. And the same with the terminal. On the top left of the window work-pane editor, a button that lets you add a new view, as well as switch between them. https://youtu.be/XzHE_BcSRbA?t=312

Tho, instead of hiding the multiple views, turn them into tabs (preferably with the ability to label them), and each pane has its own header. Or make it a collapsible sidebar that when you expand it, it shows a preview of each view layout. Or maybe it's fine just like Tilix does it, where you click a button and it shows the previews and you can switch. Maybe add an up-down navigator to flip between them.

The terminal, I can't really see why you would really want more than 3 side by side but it would be nice if it had tabs instead of a button that lets you select the menu of multiple views. The terminal would be best if it was independent and acted as a separate UI component to the editor views.

[sorahn]

The terminal, I can't really see why you would really want more than 3 side by side

full screen mode on an ultra-wide monitor.

but it would be nice if it had tabs instead of a button that lets you select the menu of multiple views.

Yup, thats the other thread.

The terminal would be best if it was independent and acted as a separate UI component to the editor views.

I go back and forth on this (yay for things that are configurable). I Think it would be cool if any split window in the main editor area could be come a terminal (sometimes you just want a big terminal), and also the persistent one is always there because it's doing things useful to the project as a whole, and i always want to see it.

[l0k18]

yeah, maybe have the option of the quake console style, top, sides and bottom, or have them as a type of panel in the view. Also I know it's configurable but maybe a the shortcut should be a single key. I might have to think about that, I would like to use f12 if it was available.

[NL33]

I think you can't get much better than the way Origami works for Sublime Text: https://github.com/SublimeText/Origami . With a right click you can add/remove panes in any direction, save your layout, etc. Extremely useful.

One other note: In Sublime you can also open an entirely separate window of the same file. I use this, for example, to have certain panes open in one monitor, and other panes open in a separate monitor. (that might be a totally separate feature however)

[plaxdan]

Would prefer if everything in Code was just a tab (terminal, problems, output debug console etc), and that tabs were free to be positioned / split anywhere (above, below, side by side etc) like atom.

[medikoo]

Would prefer if everything in Code was just a tab (terminal, problems, output debug console etc)

Exactly! This is one of the main features of editors as VIM or Emacs that makes them so powerful - a generic approach to windows.

I once requested something very related, but with focus on a specific use case: #30987. It appears VSCode team totally didn't understand usability value of that (cc @bpasero )

[devonkinghorn]

Exactly! This is one of the main features of editors as VIM or Emacs that makes them so powerful - a generic approach to windows.

The emacs terminal emulator is fantastic. You can navigate quickly with keystrokes and add or delete text anywhere in the buffer. (in evil mode of course)

I spent a month in spacemacs a few months ago and loved the buffer multiplexing and terminal emulation. Emacs is just missing some tools I use everyday in vscode. When I switched back to vscode it was back to 3 open files and tmux for terminal multiplexing.

It makes me cry a little every time I want emacs functionality (which is sad. I always make fun of my co-worker who lives in emacs, yet I envy him sometimes). I would think Microsoft could implement this, but after months of following this thread I'm beginning to lose hope.

[devonkinghorn]

Great news. grid layout made it to the Feb 2018 iteration plan

https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/issues/43361

Workbench

🏃 Improve notification UI #22388 @bpasero 💪 Investigate support a grid layout for editors #14909 @stevencl @bpasero @Tyriar @joaomoreno

[pelotom]

[medikoo]

Emacs is just missing some tools I use everyday in vscode.

Exactly, the great integration of latest language features are the main reason I'm on VSCode. Nobody works on providing that to Emacs unfortunately.

Still my productivity on VSCode suffers purely cause of such limited windows handling

[canemacchina]

WOOO I can plan to move from sublime text to VSCode now!!! Thanks ~Chuck Norris~ Microsoft!

[halian-vilela]

"Investigate" means that they will still analyse the issue and only then set a goal to really implement it? Right?

[steveclarke]

Looks like this item is deferred on the Feb iteration plan as of 02/26. Hopefully next cycle.

[jaaborot]

Suddenly hit this no-grid-layout-yet-folks problem while working on a very tall .tex file just now. I was hoping I could split the tall .tex file pane into 2 verticals on the LEFT group and the single PDF file on the RIGHT group. That would be sweet for us using VS Code for writing papers, VS Code team. So pleeeease approve the feature request for grid layout c(\~_\~)"

[jonathen09]

I love VS code but the lack of this feature really makes me miss Sublime. Hopefully this will get more love and be out soon!

[fabiospampinato]

This should be implemented without limiting the maximum number of columns/rows, the current limit of 3 columns doesn't make sense to me.

[pallapo]

Sorry guys but this is just an INVESTIGATION!! "Investigate support a grid layout for editors #14909 @stevencl @bpasero @Tyriar @joaomoreno"

[joshjensen]

@pallapo "investigation" is still an indication of movement forward. It's great to see any official movement on this ticket at all. Thanks, team!

[pallapo]

@joshjensen you're right!

[B3rry]

I agree with @fabiospampinato. The option to split any viewport into two, in either orientation, as long as the ui allows it, seems like a strong way to implement this. If the windows are generic enough, they could be used to build any number of tools (similar to the Docks feature from Atom referenced above).

[Arkmind]

Time to do something about this Microsoft VS team 👍 😄

[elleryfamilia]

Trying to leave atom completely behind, but this is a big one is holding me back. I love everything else about VS Code. Hope Microsoft allows vertical and horizontal splitting soon!

[samkearney]

Adding +1 to the "this is the only thing keeping me from using VSCode full time" sentiment.

[amc123-glitch]

@elleryfamilia if you don't care able being able to do both at the same time these are the steps to activate just vertical or just horizontal

• View > Toggle Editor Group Layout menu.
• View: Toggle Editor Group Vertical/ Layout command in the Command Palette (⇧⌘P (Windows, Linux Ctrl+Shift+P))
• Toggle button in the OPEN EDITORS tool bar.
• ⌥⌘0 (Windows, Linux Shift+Alt+0) keyboard shortcut.

But yeah having the ability to drag a file anywhere top bottom left and right would make vscode practically unbeatable for me.

[RayBenefield]

Ran into this myself trying to switch to VS Code from Vim. Major setback. I particularly noticed when I wasn't able to find how to jump left or right between splits with a keybinding since each is explicitly numbered. In my Vim+iTerm setup I'm able to jump up and down seamlessly between a vim split and a terminal split and replicating that in VS Code is near impossible.

The mention of EVERYTHING being a tab, not just editors, would make a massive difference to a grid layout system as well. Having a terminal tab, editor tabs, debug tabs, etc. would be huge... even a sidebar tab might be nice but would be a huge overhaul of course. I hope this gets some solid traction. I may not stick with VS Code long unless I figure out a couple of hacks for navigating relatively between editors.

[bradennapier]

Yeah this is a major thing. Screens aren't always as you think they are. I use multiple portrait monitors and with the ultra-wide monitors there are reasons people would want to do more than 3 columns anyways.

No reason for VSCode to implement restrictions based on their own personal thoughts of how screens are used.

I was in love with Atom until this one thing came up. I usually have atom projects on both portrait monitors with horizontal splits on them and then i use multiple 3-4 vertical splits for my ultra-wide.

Actually spent a good 5 minutes trying to do it thinking there was no way I couldn't haha - like "grrr why wont it go down there darnit!" :-P

+100 to implement this!

[Plesin]

Seems the Investigate support a grid layout for editors task has been moved to Deferred Items. I come to this issue page almost every day, to check the status. Actually every-time I open the editor and split the window, I go and check this, if there is any hope.

I hate switching editors, VS Code is perfect in all the aspects, thanks a lot for all the awesomeness!! But starting to seriously considering to switch, working on multiple files with current layout is a pain, every single day. Much more pain than having to reload after installing an extension and other issues, that had more votes than this. Not being critical at all, this is by far the best open source product I've used.

I would only appreciate more information to the community, is this even feasible, how much longer should we wait till we know more? Is this not critical to the vast majority of users and has low priority? Please let us know, so we can decide and move on.

[gulshan]

I don't see it deferred- #47369

[Plesin]

Deferred in March, fingers crossed for next iterations.

[GonziHere]

Yeah, I am waiting for this as well. Even Visual Studio can do it with some hassle (drag file to start separate window, which you can split again = you can have multiple windows with multiple splits).

I absolutely need it when I need to see multiple files. Many people have requested it and many more will. Please, please, pretty please, implement it. It is incredibly useful on big screens.

[recursionbane]

Seems to be "In Progress" for April #47369

[mleech]

@RayBenefield navigating between splits as you describe is doable by binding keys to workbench.action.navigateUp|Down|Left|Right.

[lihua06]

@bpasero look 1.23 insiders release and no window layout(#14909). Does it mean that it will not be updated in April?

[pallapo]

Variables, watch and call stack panels are too small! If I have to inspect variables value I can't see anything, I have always to resize the panel on the left. Please let us set debug panel orientation to an horizontal state!!!