Move help and plot viewers to the VS Code Secondary Side Bar

[ThomasSoeiro]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

The help and plot viewers open in the editor region, which isn't the most optimal use of screen space. In the default layout, the VS Code Panel is at the bottom and spans to the right edge of the window. This often leaves the bottom-right region unused (unless very long lines are sent to the terminal, which is not good style).

Describe the solution you'd like

Move help and plot viewers to the VS Code Secondary Side Bar. This would make better use of screen space, as the Secondary Side Bar spans to the bottom edge of the window.

Describe alternatives you've considered

Different layout combinations, e.g. Panel at the right, help and plot viewers at the bottom. None of these options seemed as effective as using the Secondary Side Bar.

{
    "workbench.panel.defaultLocation": "right",
    "workbench.editor.openSideBySideDirection": "down"
}

Additional context

Positron shows help and plots in the Secondary Side Bar. See e.g. here: https://positron.posit.co/features.html

[Fred-Wu]

You could make terminal launched in editor area too and this is the feature of vscode, so everything could be arranged there. I do like everything in the editor area, more flexible compared to panel layout.

[ThomasSoeiro]

Thanks!

It’s a nice workaround, but I prefer keeping the terminal in the Panel (alongside other terminals, and close to Problems and other related tabs).

FWIW, the Secondary Side Bar really seems intended for this kind of content, according to the UX guideline. Additionally, if the Help and Plots viewers were moved to the Secondary Side Bar, it would still be possible to restore the current layout via View > Appearance > Align Panel > Right.

[Fred-Wu]

Thanks!

It’s a nice workaround, but I prefer keeping the terminal in the Panel (alongside other terminals, and close to Problems and other related tabs).

FWIW, the Secondary Side Bar really seems intended for this kind of content, according to the UX guideline. Additionally, if the Help and Plots viewers were moved to the Secondary Side Bar, it would still be possible to restore the current layout via View > Appearance > Align Panel > Right.

The annoying issue for me is that you cannot see every panel at once if using side bar panel to arrange them. if you make two split up and down, then move to another panel, you then loose the visibility of the panel that moved down in the previous panel. Also arranging viewers using side bar panel really not flexible.