"Generating Tags" process is noisy and disruptive.

[gwk]

Issue Type: Bug

I have a testing framework that creates symlinks in subdirectories of the _build directory. Recently, VSCode Insiders has started spontaneously opening the "OUTPUT" tab of the console tray, and spewing tons of warnings from "ctag". Here are the first few lines:

> conda --version
> pyenv root
> python3.7 -c "import sys;print(sys.executable)"
> python3.6 -c "import sys;print(sys.executable)"
> python3 -c "import sys;print(sys.executable)"
> python2 -c "import sys;print(sys.executable)"
> python -c "import sys;print(sys.executable)"
> /usr/local/gloss/bin/python3 -c "import sys;print(sys.executable)"
> conda info --json
> conda info --json
> conda info --json
> conda info --json
> conda --version
> conda --version
> conda --version
> /usr/local/gloss/bin/python3 -c "import sys;print(sys.executable)"
> /usr/local/gloss/bin/python3 -c "import sys;print(sys.executable)"
> /usr/local/gloss/bin/python3 -c "import sys;print(sys.executable)"
> /usr/local/gloss/bin/python3 -c "import sys;print(sys.executable)"
> /usr/local/gloss/bin/python3 -c "import sys;print(sys.executable)"
> /usr/local/gloss/bin/python3 -c "import sys;print(sys.executable)"
> /usr/local/gloss/bin/python3 -c "import sys;print(sys.executable)"
> /usr/local/gloss/bin/python3 -c "import sys;print(sys.executable)"
Starting Jedi Python language engine.
----------Generating Tags----------
ctags --options=/Users/gwk/.vscode-insiders/extensions/ms-python.python-2019.12.53195-dev/resources/ctagOptions --languages=Python --exclude=**/site-packages/** -o /Users/gwk/work/muck/.vscode/tags .
> ctags --options=/Users/gwk/.vscode-insiders/extensions/ms-python.python-2019.12.53195-dev/resources/ctagOptions --languages=Python --exclude=**/site-packages/** -o ~/work/muck/.vscode/tags .
cwd: ~/work/muck
> /usr/local/gloss/bin/python3 -c "import sys;print(sys.executable)"
> /usr/local/gloss/bin/python3 -c "import sys;print(sys.executable)"
> /usr/local/gloss/bin/python3 -c "import sys;print(sys.executable)"
> /usr/local/gloss/bin/python3 -c "import sys;print(sys.executable)"
ctags: Warning: cannot open source file "pithy/_build/test/svg/svg.py" : No such file or directory
...

Followed by many more warnings.

Additionally, I now see a .vscode/tags file getting generated in all of my projects, which I need to exclude in gitignore.

I am guessing this is a new feature being rolled out, and this is what I get for using Insiders. But, some honest feedback:

• The spontaneous switch to focus on the output pane is very disruptive.
• The new tags file is annoying (must be gitignored).
• When I search for text in my project, I now get search results from the generated "tags" file, which seems like something that nobody would ever want.
• Adding my _build directory to "files.exclude" setting does not fix the ctags warnings.
• It looks like the call to ctags takes an --exclude flag; should probably at least respect files.exclude setting, and at most be more aggressively populated.

Thank you, -George

VS Code version: Code - Insiders 1.41.0-insider (87c2e0b, 2019-12-06T21:34:49.305Z)
OS version: Darwin x64 19.2.0

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-7920HQ CPU @ 3.10GHz (8 x 3100)
GPU Status	2d_canvas: enabled flash_3d: enabled flash_stage3d: enabled flash_stage3d_baseline: enabled gpu_compositing: enabled metal: disabled_off multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on oop_rasterization: disabled_off protected_video_decode: unavailable_off rasterization: enabled skia_renderer: disabled_off surface_control: disabled_off surface_synchronization: enabled_on video_decode: enabled viz_display_compositor: enabled_on viz_hit_test_surface_layer: disabled_off webgl: enabled webgl2: enabled
Load (avg)	6, 5, 4
Memory (System)	16.00GB (2.31GB free)
Process Argv	.
Screen Reader	no
VM	0%

Extensions (24)

Extension	Author (truncated)	Version
npm-intellisense	chr	1.3.0
crafts	gwk	1.0.0
vscode-eslint	dba	1.9.1
vscode-dash	dee	2.3.0
gitlens	eam	10.2.0
vscode-npm-script	eg2	0.3.9
macros	ged	1.2.1
gloss	gwk	1.0.0
vscode-settings-cycler	hoo	1.0.1
vsc-python-indent	Kev	1.8.1
legs	gwk	1.0.0
vscode-docker	ms-	0.9.0
python	ms-	2019.12.53195-dev
cpptools	ms-	0.26.2
debugger-for-chrome	msj	4.12.3
erlang	pgo	0.5.2
ploy	gwk	1.0.0
vscode-yaml	red	0.6.1
vscode-hexdump	sle	1.7.2
cython	tcw	0.1.0
pdf	tom	0.5.1
vscode-lldb	vad	1.4.3
change-case	wma	1.0.0
writeup	gwk	1.0.0

[vscodebot]

(Experimental duplicate detection)
Thanks for submitting this issue. Please also check if it is already covered by an existing one, like:

• Python 3.7 debugger does not launch (but Python 2.7 works) (#82403)

[gwk]

@vscodebot that is not a duplicate.

[gwk]

The output console pane continues to steal focus from the editor window every couple of minutes. This is making VSCode Insiders maddeningly unusable. I suggest you treat this as a high priority regression. In the meantime I will try switching to non-insiders.

[gwk]

I have managed to disable this with the setting python.workspaceSymbols.enabled: false. I still think it represents a serious usability issue however.

[vscodebot]

This issue is caused by an extension, please file it with the repository (or contact) the extension has linked in its overview in VS Code or the marketplace for VS Code. See also our issue reporting guidelines.

Happy Coding!

[RMacfarlane]

@gwk Since this is caused by the Python extension, can you please reopen this issue here: https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode-python

[gwk]

@RMacfarlane thank you. filed at microsoft/vscode-python#9046.

For what it's worth, I appreciate the personal note. In general I think the vscode team does not appreciate how off putting the bots are. Every time I encounter @vscodebot, it is after I have put at least an hour into filing a bug report, and it always feels like the humans on the other end don't care enough to read it. I understand the practical reason for using bots, but it has engendered some deep negative feelings about the vscode project for me.

For one thing, if the bot can automatically close my issue, maybe it could automatically open it in the right place instead of just asking me to do more free work!

[RMacfarlane]

@gwk Thanks for the feedback! I agree that having the bot automatically transfer the issue would be a much better experience. I'll pass this on to the rest of the team.