Show Uid resources when viewing XAML documents

[mrlacey]

When working with localized content some values that are applied at runtime aren't visible in the XAML designer or editor as they come from RESW files.

Describe the solution you'd like

Show the resource file values overlaid on the XAML editor so it's possible to see what might affect runtime behavior without having to look at multiple files.

Concept: In the concept image, the resource values are shown as an adornment in the XAML file below where the x:Uid value is specified.

Will need to evaluate the impact of

• long resource values (including multi-line)
• multiple resource values for an element
• line wrapping of the element definition
• Element definitions over multiple lines.
• coloring

Additional context

Definitely an issue in UWP but need to assess the impact for WPF & XF (X-Ref #163)

See also https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=MattLaceyLtd.StringResourceVisualizer which has a similar capability to show values from resource files.

[michael-hawker]

It'd be great to be able to edit them from the adorner too (if that's possible?).

Would a separate tool window make sense as well (if the existing one can't be modified)? It'd be cool if the list in the resource file could be filtered based on the control you have your cursor on in the XAML editor.

[mrlacey]

It'd be great to be able to edit them from the adorner too (if that's possible?).

There are already a number of other tools/extensions that make it easier to work with (and edit) resource files. Trying to do that doesn't feel like the best use of my time unless there's a definite way of making it easier. Maybe come back to this in the future.

Would a separate tool window make sense as well (if the existing one can't be modified)? It'd be cool if the list in the resource file could be filtered based on the control you have your cursor on in the XAML editor.

A simplified view of the resource file that just shows the resources for the current file (or selected control) could be very useful - existing one doesn't support any extensibility. :(

[michael-hawker]

There are already a number of other tools/extensions that make it easier to work with (and edit) resource files. Trying to do that doesn't feel like the best use of my time unless there's a definite way of making it easier. Maybe come back to this in the future.

Ah, cool, I wasn't aware, do you use a specific one? (Though, it's on my list to eventually add to XAML Studio 😋)

[mrlacey]

There are already a number of other tools/extensions that make it easier to work with (and edit) resource files. Trying to do that doesn't feel like the best use of my time unless there's a definite way of making it easier. Maybe come back to this in the future.

Ah, cool, I wasn't aware, do you use a specific one? (Though, it's on my list to eventually add to XAML Studio 😋)

Try this https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=TomEnglert.ResXManager

Working with resource files in a general way is definitely something that could be improved but it's way down on my list. Some XAML specific stuff definitely has me thinking though...