vscode.executeDocumentSymbolProvider command only returns SymbolInformation[] rather than DocumentSymbol[]

[eamodio]

Currently the vscode.executeDocumentSymbolProvider returns instances of SymbolInformation rather than the newer DocumentSymbol. I'm sure this was done for backward compatibility. Can a flag be added to vscode.executeDocumentSymbolProvider to allow it to return DocumentSymbol? Or maybe a new complex command to access the DocumentSymbols?

I would really like for GitLens to be able to have access to the better range information contained in the DocumentSymbols.

Also if there is consensus on the direction of this, I can provide a PR.

/cc @jrieken

[jrieken]

Yeah, we weren't sure yet how to do that... It is for backwards compatibility and this command is very frequently used. I can check if that's still the case

[eamodio]

Maybe vscode.executeDocumentSymbolProvider.v2 or something along those lines (that could be used for any complex command)

[jrieken]

Yeah, not sure yet. We always wanted to be more relaxed with those commands and have the freedom to kinda break them. Tho this is a special case since there is many user of that command. I am thinking of some kind of merged type ala vscode.DocumentSymbol & vscode.SymbolInformation. That should be the best of both worlds...

[eamodio]

Somewhat related (especially with a merged type), I see internally DocumentSymbol has containerName just like SymbolInformation, why is that not exposed on the vscode.d.ts version of DocumentSymbol?

[jrieken]

why is that not exposed on the vscode.d.ts version of DocumentSymbol?

It was always meant to be the parent of a symbol and now that there is parent info it's not really used anymore...

[eamodio]

How do you get the parent info? Isn't there only children access?