Add "Open Folder..." to macOS and rename "Open Workspace..."

[isidorn]

I was just in a user study with @stevencl and I think we have a problem that IDE users have a concept of workspace which is not the VS Code Workspace.

So what happens -> users click Open Workspace and actually want to open the whole folder, however they can not since you expect a .code-workspace file.

Due to that I suggest (if technically possible) that the Open Workspace button allows to open .code-workspace file but also any folder.

This is especially confusing on mac, since the Open.. button opens everything including folders, so users go for Open Workspace and end up being puzzled.

[bpasero]

@isidorn this would only be possible on macOS, not Windows nor Linux. It might break muscle memory for existing users that e.g. double click on a folder in the dialog to open it and to find *.code-workspace files.

[isidorn]

@bpasero I think it would be a great fit for macOS, since there we have the other confusion that there is no Open Folder button, just Open. And this is exactly what happened in the user study (user wanted to open a folder, and closest to his need he found the Open Workspace button).

I do not understand muscle memory breakage sorry, can you clarify please?

[bpasero]

@isidorn see this example, I double click a folder to open it. With your proposal that would not be possible anymore:

[isidorn]

@bpasero aha got it, thanks! Good point.
Maybe we bring it up quickly in a UX meeting? Or we try it in Insiders and listen to negative feedback? What do you think?

[bpasero]

UX meeting sounds fine to me, since I have my doubts about it I would not push it to insiders without a discussion first.

[bpasero]

@isidorn spend a bit more time thinking about this and feel we should try to be consistent across OS, so what about:

• we add "Open Folder..." on macOS too (which then puts us in the same category as the other OS)
• we rename "Open Workspace..." to "Open Multi-Root Workspace..." (I think I got similar feedback from Consistency with the use of "workspace"  #77718 that the name is a bit misleading)

I would still not change "Open..." on macOS because I think it works OK today and changing it would probably confuse existing users.

[isidorn]

Love this suggestion 💯
Open Workspace is too general, so Open Multi-Root Workspace will hit the spot. Open Folder.. also makes good sense to be more explicit.

Should we still bring this up in the UX today or should I remove it from the agenda?

[bpasero]

Since we do not have many items, feel free to bring it up.

[gjsjohnmurray]

How about Open Workspace from File... instead? Not all such workspaces have multiple roots.

[bpasero]

Yeah I like that, wasn't so happy with the wording I chose.

[bpasero]

Also in Welcome:

[bpasero]

Verification:

• where previously we would have "Open Workspace" it is now "Open Workspace from File"
• macOS: there is a "Open Folder" entry in the file menu and command palette that only allows to open folders