Separate File System and REPL windows

[sfe-SparkFro]

Right now, there is a single window for MicroPython Tools, and you have to jump between tabs to access the File System or REPL.

It would be great if both were visible at the same time, which is especially useful if you need to type a file name into the REPL. Is that something that can already be done, or can that be added as a feature to this plugin?

[lukaskremla]

I don't think it is possible to do that as of right now.

And I think that the only way to make it possible is if I separated the File System widget and REPL tab into different tool window icons in the bars on the sides of the IDE, which isn't an ideal solution for different reasons

[sfe-SparkFro]

Ah, darn. Is it more of a limitation of PyCharm / JetBrains? Would it warrant opening a feature request to make this more feasible in a way that makes sense?

[lukaskremla]

This is pretty much just how it works in JetBrains IDEs.

Every tool window (so every icon you see in the gutters on the left and right of your IDE when you open a project) is designed to be self contained.

Think of it as having a browser (the gutters) with multiple tabs (tool windows) open, and then having a webpage (widget of the tool window) open in one of those tabs. The webpage might have multiple sub-tabs of its own (eg. home page, library, notifications, trending etc.). You can't view the home page and library side by side because they a part of a single webpage you opened in one of the tabs in your browser.

The only way to make something like this work is if this plugin had two tool windows, so two icons in the gutters. One would handle REPL, the other would handle File System. Then you could have them side by side (think of opening the hypothetical webpage I mentioned earlier in two tabs simultaneously and then viewing home page in one and library in the other).

I could do this - but it seems unnecessary. I understand that it could be nice to see both the File System tab and REPL tab at once in some scenarios, but I fear that two tool windows would unnecessarily complicate the UX.