Spyder currently keeps Projects and Files separate in that they are different panes with different functions. Whether or not that is ideal is definitely up for debate, but one thing that could be useful regardless is providing more contextualized user feedback on what the open project is.
Right now, the project is listed in the application's title bar (which is a common practice in IDEs based on what I'm seeing.) This isn't bad, but it could be easily overlooked and does not provide feedback near the Files pane where it can be most important to remember what project you have open.
One solution is to
add an icon indicating what the open project's working directory is (in the main toolbar)
add an option to make it so the user cannot leave that project (also in the main toolbar; easy to turn off an on).
It isn't a solution the larger problem, but it might help people from making unintended mistakes as these panes and functions can get mixed up.
Spyder currently keeps Projects and Files separate in that they are different panes with different functions. Whether or not that is ideal is definitely up for debate, but one thing that could be useful regardless is providing more contextualized user feedback on what the open project is.
Right now, the project is listed in the application's title bar (which is a common practice in IDEs based on what I'm seeing.) This isn't bad, but it could be easily overlooked and does not provide feedback near the Files pane where it can be most important to remember what project you have open.
One solution is to
It isn't a solution the larger problem, but it might help people from making unintended mistakes as these panes and functions can get mixed up.