Multi-References View
A powerful VS Code extension that provides independent, persistent views for code navigation - allowing you to track multiple symbol queries simultaneously without losing context.
Developed with help of AI.
The Problem
Modern software development involves navigating complex codebases with intricate relationships between components. The default VS Code "References View" is limited to displaying one set of results at a time. When you need to cross-reference information—for example, examining both the references and implementations of a function—you must perform separate searches, losing the previous context with each new query. This workflow is inefficient and mentally taxing.
The Solution
Multi-References View solves this by providing three independent, persistent views that work side-by-side:
- References View - Find all references to a symbol
- Implementations View - Find all implementations of an interface or abstract method
- Call Hierarchy View - Explore incoming and outgoing calls
Each view maintains its own state and history, allowing you to arrange and cross-reference them as needed.
Usage Guide
The animation above demonstrates the key features of Multi-References View in action.
Key Features
🎯 Independent Views
Each view operates independently, so you can:
- View references in one panel while exploring implementations in another
- Keep call hierarchy visible while investigating references
- Build up a comprehensive picture of your codebase without losing context
➕ Append Functionality
Every search action has an "Append" variant:
- Find All References vs Find and Append References
- Find All Implementations vs Find and Append Implementations
- Show Call Hierarchy vs Show and Append Call Hierarchy
This allows you to accumulate results from multiple symbols in a single view.
🎨 Organized Display
Results are presented in a clear, hierarchical structure:
- Grouped by symbol
- Organized by file
- Shows context for each reference
- Inline actions for quick navigation
🔄 Call Direction Toggle
The Call Hierarchy view includes dedicated buttons to switch between:
- Incoming Calls - Who calls this function?
- Outgoing Calls - What does this function call?
Usage Scenarios
Comparing Symbol Usage
You want to see where a function is called (Find All References) and how its interface is implemented (Find All Implementations) side-by-side. With Multi-References View, you can perform both searches and see the results in separate, persistent views.
Investigating Call Chains
While debugging, you need to trace a complex call chain. Start with Show Call Hierarchy on a function, then append the references of specific callers to build up a detailed map of the execution flow without losing context.
Gradual Exploration
When exploring an unfamiliar part of the codebase, incrementally add references, implementations, and type definitions for various symbols to the views, creating a comprehensive picture of the code's architecture.
Getting Started
- Install the extension from the VS Code Marketplace
- Open any code file
- Right-click on a symbol and select Multi-References from the context menu
- Choose your desired action:
- Find All References
- Find All Implementations
- Show Call Hierarchy
- Or use the "Append" variants to add to existing results
Commands
All commands are accessible via:
- Editor Context Menu - Right-click on any symbol → Multi-References
- Command Palette -
Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+P (Mac)
Available Commands
Multi-References: Find All References - Find references in References viewMulti-References: Find and Append References - Add references to existing resultsMulti-References: Find All Implementations - Find implementations in Implementations viewMulti-References: Find and Append Implementations - Add implementations to existing resultsMulti-References: Find All Type Definitions - Find type definitions in References viewMulti-References: Find and Append Type Definitions - Add type definitions to existing resultsMulti-References: Show Call Hierarchy - Show call hierarchy in Call Hierarchy viewMulti-References: Show and Append Call Hierarchy - Add call hierarchy to existing results
View Controls
Each view includes toolbar buttons for:
- Clear - Clear all results from the view
- Refresh - Refresh the current results
- Remove - Remove individual symbol groups or items
The Call Hierarchy view additionally includes:
- Show Incoming Calls - Toggle to show who calls this function
- Show Outgoing Calls - Toggle to show what this function calls
Architecture
The extension is built with a modular architecture:
- Each view is completely independent with its own state
- Shared navigation system for consistent behavior
- Extensible design for adding new view types in the future
Requirements
- Visual Studio Code 1.67.0 or higher
License
MIT
Contributing
Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit issues or pull requests.
Enjoy exploring your codebase with Multi-References View! 🚀
