Support to open a project folder in multiple VS Code windows

[weinand]

Currently VS Code prevents opening a folder more than once which makes it impossible to work on a project in multiple windows (e.g. on multiple displays).

@bpasero @dbaeumer @egamma @alexandrudima please raise any obstacles and issues you might foresee with this request.

Issues found so far:

• [ ] we use the workspace path as identifier to communicate back from debug target to debug host
• [ ] we need to verify cross platform that there is no code causing issues when running over the same root folder (e.g. file watchers)

---

Please note: Initially I've created this feature request for a specific use case: enable debugging of multiple processes. In the meantime, debugging of multiple processes has become possible without the need for opening a folder more than once (see https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/issues/13426). But instead of closing this item (as no longer necessary), I've repurposed it by removing the specific debug use case. For transparency you can find the original comment below:

Currently it is not possible to debug more than one process from a single VS Code project (= window) because VS Code prevents opening a folder more than once.

The workaround is to open VS code on a subfolder within the original folder, which means to restructure the project (which is not desirable).

This feature request asks for lifting the constraint and allowing to open a project folder multiple times.

[Tyriar]

I think this is a duplicate of https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/issues/48

[weinand]

@Tyriar yes, on first glance this looks like a duplicate. However this request is specifically targeted towards a concrete use case: enable debugging of multiple processes.

I do not want to discuss why this is necessary or what the name of a setting to enable this should be. I just want to discuss what is needed to make VS Code support this scenario without any problematic side effects.

@bpasero is the right person to resolve this as a duplicate of #48 or not,

[bpasero]

I think this request is fair because it talks about lifting our current limitation that you cannot open the same folder twice in 2 or more windows.

@weinand I suggest we add the issues we see to your first comment so that we do not have to haunt down all the issues by checking the comments.

[stereokai]

@bpasero How about this? Is this a feature that a contributor can solve or only core team members?

[bpasero]

This is not an area where we would easily accept PRs, sorry. It needs more thinking than just allowing to open the same folder in multiple windows. People might expect this to be a very light weight operation because the folder is already open in one window. In fact, the 2 windows share nothing and so you end up with multiple language services. I find this OK but not everyone in the team currently would agree to that.

[stereokai]

@bpasero I understand. Well then, hope this feature comes out soon, would contribute a lot to users with multi-monitor setups

[hackwaly]

I found a workaround - use ln -s.

[bpasero]

Some notes:

• Distinct user interaction only from File > Open Folder?
• Show a prompt to warn the user when this happens?
• How to support API to force open the same workspace in a new window?
• What does it mean for Window settings or local storage that are associated?

[dbaeumer]

Additional notes

• impact on language server which we will start twice on the same workspace

[Tyriar]

Additional notes:

• The hot exit implementation currently assumes a folder will only ever be opened once, it would need to be tweaked to allow 'duplicate' workspaces

[weinand]

FYI: the debug team is currently working on a solution for "multi target debugging" that does not require to open a project folder in multiple VS Code windows. So we are not relying on this feature request.

[Cellery72]

Any chance of implementation of the feature 'opening multiple instance's of the same project' in the near (3-6 month) future? VSCode is great, I enjoy using it daily but lack of multiple instances pains me when I must open another editor to view multiple project files side by side. Split editor is great and all.. but anymore than two isn't very efficient.

If not I understand that this truly is the definition of 'First World Problem'...

[rafaelabreu]

+1

[maxbaluev]

I very need this feauture too!

[markpradhan]

Guys guys guys, sometimes putting stuff in one window just isn't enough, please provide a way of doing so :/

[derekmt12]

It would be nice if it worked like Visual Studio where you could drag a tab to another monitor. It wouldn't have to support having two separate VS Code instances running for the same folder. Just being able to move the tabs outside of the current VS Code window would be the most useful.

[csotiriou]

I understand that multiple windows will provoke many technical problems but there is a middle ground that I believe is a safer and more feasible approach, an idea taken from other IDEs.

What other IDEs (like IntelliJ) do is to have a Master Window, which is capable of displaying everything that a master window should: Debugger, tools on the left, the folder structure, etc. But each file can be open in a separate "child" window, which is not an actual window per se, it's just a floating UI "imitation". It only allows to display and edit the file contents (along with intellisense), nothing more, no other tools are displayed. I know it's not a normal window because the user can't use it in Split Screen (OS X feature) for example.

Would this be a better option if the full solution is not technically feasible?

[rozzzly]

@csotiriou proposes a nice solution which would make what @derekmt12 talks about possible. Being a multi-monitor user myself, I've resorted to resizing the vscode window to stretch across both screens. And then resize the editor group so its near the middle point so each EditorGroup has its own screen. It's quite frustrating. All you would need to render in a separate window would be another EditorGroup.

[calloncampbell]

I think what people really want is to open a single instance of VSCode, but allow undocking of the tabs so that you can move the tabs to other windows...much like you can in Visual Studio 2015.

[Tyriar]

@calloncampbell yes that may make more sense, introducing a "child window" concept that lacks some functionality of the "main window" as has been mentioned previously. That would definitely make this a lot easier to implement as all these workspace-specific features (git, hot exit) would still only need to care about a single workspace.

[rsyring]

That would definitely make this a lot easier to implement as all these workspace-specific features (git, hot exit) would still only need to care about a single workspace.

If the Explorer is a "workspace-specific feature" then I'd vote for that to remain part of the "child window" but other than that specific feature, just having a new window that I can doc tabs on and see an Explorer file tree is what I'm looking for.

[brettneese]

@calloncampbell is exactly right. i like keeping my tests and code on two different monitors and would love to be able to just drag off a tab like I can with most of my other apps.

i currently just run vs code on one screen and vs code insiders on another while working on the same project but that comes with it's own share of problems ;-)

[whyscience]

Look forward to this

[BentOnCoding]

I've been hoping vscode would add this since it's release. Please support mulitple monitor development like visual studio does.

[JakeTobin]

Yes please! vscode will be perfect once this happens =]

[Aqours]

need this feature too

[clari182]

Me too please!

[knlambert]

Need it too!

[aarongarciah]

Would be awesome 😁

[czerwonkabartosz]

I think what people really want is to open a single instance of VSCode, but allow undocking of the tabs so that you can move the tabs to other windows...much like you can in Visual Studio 2015.

It will be nice !

[greg-harrison]

This feature would be amazing! Please support!

[ltoshea]

I'll second this, I can do this in other editors like sublime and it's an important feature for those of us working on big projects across multiple monitors.

[cagmz]

Also looking forward to this. My use case is having one window per Jira ticket. This way, each window (ticket) has all of the associated files open in tabs.

[pain0486]

Well current work around.....drag vs code window across multiple monitors and open several split screen editors :P

[derekmt12]

Another work-around that I have used is to open the root app folder in one instance and a subfolder in another instance. I'm sure you could do this with any number of subfolders.

[TreTuna]

This was a deal breaker for me with VSC. I really enjoy using it, but without dual monitor support of some fashion it just can not support my workflow. I've had to go back to using JetBrains IDEs until this is added to VSC.

That being said, I really like the parent/child window workflow of the JetBrains products and think that would agree with the others here that this would be a great way to add dual monitor support for VSC.

[shiamalon]

Using deejmt12 workaround but it would be awesome to detach some tabs and move to a second monitor.

[CodeCabbie]

Agree with @TreTuna . Love using VSC but not being able to undock a tab is surely an embarrassing shortfall of this brilliant product. An edit-only undocked tab would be the answer. To be honest, going for a full blown second window with ALL functionality would be LESS useful, probably just confusing. The best solution is to have ONE master window and multiple undocked tabs. Please!?

[tfactor2]

@TreTuna - the same thing! IMHO it's a blocker for most of the people working on their work-seats, not in cafe-points. I personally have a Mac Retina with a Dell 24' 1080p - so @rozzzly comment about putting VS Code in the middle is unusable for me.

The feature should be prioritized in my opinion because otherwise I have to switch to another editor like Sublime/IDE's despite of nice features and ecosystem of VS Code. I guess I'm not alone.

So please do it!) Don't ruin this nice-project ;-)

[TreTuna]

Exactly @tfactor2, I use 3 screens at my desk. Laptop and 2x22" HD monitors. I don't know many devs that don't have/use at least 2 monitors (laptop + monitor counts) at their desk. Though it's the 2 monitors that are generally dedicated to code.

At first I liked VSC so much I dealt with it by running it on my main monitor and just opened up any other files in sublime for viewing on my 2nd, but this is just a horrible way to have to work so I went back to my full blown WebStorm setup.

This seems like a no brainer feature that without it will always keep VSC sitting stagnant on my machine.

[rezashamdani]

me too, my laptop screen is to crowded even with only 2 page splited.

please make our vs to allow drag the tab outside current window. thanks

[Rob0b0]

Want this feature too. I can currently open 2 VS Code windows of same files at two monitors, but changes on 1 window does not affect the other. Is it possible to have concurrent editing like split editing on two monitors? It shall make the user code on one screen while doing live preview on the other screen (with the use of some live preview extensions).

[gauravsaini]

@weinand Can we have detachable tabs from the main project window to support multiple screens

[cbush06]

We need this feature! Please add support for opening the same folder in multiple windows.

[jslaplante]

I love VS Code but it really needs this feature.

[bstro]

For myself, this lack of functionality makes vscode really hard to use for big projects on one small screen.

[grubeeric]

+1 for this issue. I was encouraged to try out vs-code over sublime for a typescript project I am working on only to discover that I can't have the same folder open in two windows which was quite the bummer.

[flyf-sh]

VSCode has been OK so far but this feature really blocks a workflow revolving around release cycles of the same project directory split out by feature branches; in which one works on multiple releases simultaneously as part of large project efforts. Want to open a new window for your other project on a different feature branch? You're SOL unless you copy the repo.

[KishoreVignesh]

It would be great to have multimonitor support!

[mindietea]

Current inelegant workaround: un-maximize the window, drag size to fill two monitors, and split the viewer/resize so the tabs display on two screens.