Parallel Folders

Rationale

Vscode extension for mapping folder structure to another one. For the cases when you can't change original folder structure or want to have alternative view(s). Extension doesn't provide UI for everything, so, editing config files sometimes is okay. Its location is .vscode/parallelFolders.json.

I already use the extension in my everyday job. Usually real life projects are big and cluttered. What is even worse they often structured not according to business requirements. They often structured as hello world projects where files are grouped by file types (you know: Controllers, Views,...). The problem is that when the project grows this structure starts working against you. The bigger the project the bigger the part of time you spend on navigation in a mess. These all is very well described in MSDN article: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/mt763233.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396
Being unable to restructure the projects in most cases, I have created this extension. It has proven itself as indispensable tool to stay focused only on things I need. There is actually quite a lot of other reasoning and I could go on and on about it for quite a long time (this was really a pain for many years). In particular reasons from the modern neuropsychology and a book "Algorythms we live by" but I keep it for next time.

Basic usage

Usage can be grasped in two ways from demo video or from text instructions. I provide both below.

Demo video

It may be quite confusing at the beginning because what you see initially is just empty panel. So, it is easier to understand usage from short demo video: https://youtu.be/Q0YksFaUsJ4

Text instructions

Install extension. New side panel will appear. Select it. Select More actions in the panel menu. Click Init config file. Config will be created and sample Root Folder will appear. Now you can start adding files to that. You can do it by opening a file by other means, e.g. with Explorer or with Quick Open or with Ctrl+Tab among recent files. As file is open, click the "Add file to the folder" icon. Repeat the process for files you need for your current work task. Be happy, focused and free from distractions.

Roadmap

Done

• added context menu option "Add Folder"
• Use file name as leaf node label
• Add current file to the node
• Pretty print config before save
• detect absolute/relative paths during open
• open file on node click
• make vsix installer for local installs.
• Change icon for add current file command. Edited svg just shows nothing as result. The same with png. By the end done with vscode SVG editor extension.
• sort nodes alphabeticallly, case insensitive
• relative paths
• allow to add nodes to files
• delete node menu item impl
• init config file from UI
• license - decided on MIT
• command to create config file
• rename folder context command.
• publish to community

To be done

• prepare example from big project
• deletion of top level nodes
• drag and drop nodes for rearrange (as workaround delete and then add, or edit config by hands)
• if files have the same names and being put to the same node add part of pathe to their labe to distinguish them
• addition of several files or folder?
• alow to attach other types of info to files
• other navigration improvements, e.g. scoped search to the node, scoped F12, scoped navigate from html to ts members