'Install Extension' searches by name, but only shows displayName, description, and version in the results

[jwulf]

In #140 (comment) @egamma recommends installing @dbaeumer's vscode-eslint extension.

While doing this, I notice that I can search for vscode-eslint in the Install Extensions dialog. I find the correct extension, but the results pane does not show me the vscode-eslint that I searched for (name in package.json). It shows displayName, description, version, and publisher.

I was left wondering if that was the right package, because it said ESLint, and I couldn't see vscode-eslint anywhere.

In the case where a user searches on name, and VS Code finds a match, if the results pane contained feedback that the package listed is the right package, it would be good.

An idea: Maybe show name in the results if the match was on name?

I've attached a screen shot - hope that clarifies what I'm talking about.

Thanks!

[egamma]

@jwulf - convinced after watching your video 😄

[joaomoreno]

Showing all attributes in the UI will simply make it cluttered. We still let you filter on the underlying ID since that is a nice thing to do.

@egamma, why important?

[egamma]

@joaomoreno this video illustrates that this results in confusion.

[joaomoreno]

Ok, what's your pick?

• Do not show readable extension name, but extension ids in the UI
• Show both readable name and id, for every extension in the UI
• Stop filtering on the extension id

Also, removing the important flag, as this hardly seems to be.

[jwulf]

What about option 4: "show the extension id when that is what was searched and matched"

If they didn't search on extension id, no need to show it. 

If they searched on extension id and we found matches, then show it. 

In other words: have the behaviour match the user's intent and expected context. 

Or more simply: show them what they are looking for. 

—
Sent from Mailbox

On Tue, Jan 5, 2016 at 12:58 AM, João Moreno [email protected]
wrote:

Ok, what's your pick?

• Do not show readable extension name, but extension ids in the UI
• Show both readable name and id, for every extension in the UI

- Stop filtering on the extension id

Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub:
#1441 (comment)

[joaomoreno]

I don't really like that solution since it would make labels come in and out of the view as you type and poses the following questions: Where to show it? Do we replace the readable name with it? Do we append to it?

[jwulf]

Great questions. 

One possibility:

Show only the names while the user is typing, then when the user stops typing for a (specified delay period), make a decision about what to show. 

That addresses the labels coming in and out of view. 

What about having the Name as a tooltip, and it could only be a tooltip for items where the match was made on name. 

That would be kind of like Google's "Why am I seeing this ad?" pattern. 

—
Sent from Mailbox

On Tue, Jan 5, 2016 at 1:59 AM, João Moreno [email protected]
wrote:

I don't really like that solution since it would make labels come in and out of the view as you type and poses the following questions: Where to show it? Do we replace the readable name with it? Do we append to it?

Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub:
#1441 (comment)

[joaomoreno]

How about a tooltip over every extension's readable name that would display its id? Would that help?

[jwulf]

I think so.

[egamma]

+1