Several bugs in IDE

[vvb333007]

Continuing the discussion from ChatGPT integration into Arduino IDE:

@UKHeliBob

Personally I would rather that development of the IDE concentrated on fixing simple things such as the inability to run the Serial monitor in its own window or being able to select all of the Serial monitor output using the keyboard or mouse.

They say that Serial Monitor is not a terminal program so they would like to keep it simple. So simple, so it is barely useful. And yeah, even its window can't be detached. But this is ok, most people just use terminal programs.

There are bugs in code analyzer: colorer can be messed up really easy, function folding often folds wrong code blocks. Clicking to "Go to the reference" often does nothing, but sometimes jumps to completely unrelated code.

Ctrl+T autoformats my code even without any notice! Silently. And sometimes I press it ( by mistake cause it is a "New Tab" in a browser) so my code silently gets messed up soooo bad. Good if I notice that and press Ctrl+Z. But often there are changes in the file outside of the current code block on my screen so I don't even know that code was "beautified"

[UKHeliBob]

@vvb333007

Ctrl+T autoformats my code even without any notice! Silently.

It sounds like it is working as it should

What do you expect it to do ? I certainly don't want to have to answer a prompt to confirm that I want the code Auto formatted

[b707]

@vvb333007

Ctrl+T autoformats my code even without any notice! Silently.

???
How else would you like it? You pressed that button yourself.
If you are not satisfied with the result, you can always make an Undo (Ctrl-Z)

[vvb333007]

Usually, the good practice, is to have a checkbox in the software setting: "confirm autoformat?". Every part of the software, where it tries to be "smart" must be optional: user must be able to switch any particular feature off/on;

It is common practice in ui/ux

[vvb333007]

As I said, it is often go unnoticed and then goes to github.
Example: I had a file, 30kb. Pressed Ctrl+T by mistake and didn't notice that, because autoformat changed my file at the very beginning while my editor was somewhere at the end of this file.

How I see that? At least show a fading window/message: "Autoformatted". Or show a text box: "Confirm autoformat? [Yes] [No] [x] Remember and don't ask it again".

Every time the software EDITS the code human writes - it must be acknowledged and must be optional.

[UKHeliBob]

@vvb333007

Every time the software EDITS the code human writes - it must be acknowledged

But the IDE Auto format is not making changes to the code, just its layout. The functionality of the code will not change. If it worries you that much then why not configure the IDE to Auto format the code to the style that you want ?

[bobcousins]

It might be nice to have an option to autoformat other people's code... just before they post it to the forum.

[UKHeliBob]

When I copy code into the IDE from the forum I always Auto format it straight away. Not quite automatic but I do it without thinking

[docdoc]

@vvb333007

And yeah, even its window can't be detached.

I agree, this should be implemented soon because sometimes I need a taller window but as I grow serial monitor panel height the code window shrinks up to a few lines.

@vvb333007

my code silently gets messed up soooo bad

IMO autoformat won't "mess" anything, it "cleans things up" in a standardized way, so I can't get the reason for this complaint.
If the shortcut Ctrl-T is really making you mad, open menu File, Advanced, Keyboard shortcuts, then search for "arduino-auto-format" and assign it to a different shortcut (e.g. "Ctrl+Shift+T").

[ptillisch]

@vvb333007

They say that Serial Monitor is not a terminal program so they would like to keep it simple.

@vvb333007

even its window can't be detached

The proximity of these two statements might imply a correlation to some readers. Please note that this is not the case. The former is an intentional design decision, while the latter is a deficiency (arduino/arduino-ide#289) resulting from technical and resource limitations.

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@vvb333007

colorer can be messed up really easy

@vvb333007 created a dedicated topic for the discussion of this subject:

IDE 2.3.4 coloring glitch / bug

Hello. Recently noticed that syntax coloring in Arduino IDE breaks upon certain conditions and looks like this: [image] Encircled is the code which causes the colorer to go mad. Full code, which reproduces the problem (but can not be compiled) is attached below. If 'b' - 'a' is replaced with a number, then colorer works as intended

Please use that topic for further discussion of the subject.

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@vvb333007

function folding often folds wrong code blocks.

@vvb333007 created a dedicated topic for the discussion of this subject:

Function folding glitch on latest (2.3.3)

Large pure C code, attempt to fold a function. For some reason IDE does not fold it right. Instead it allows me to fold a goto label (???) But when I try to fold the label it folds until function end. Is this normal? Screenshots in sequence below: [Untitled-1] [Untitled-2] [Untitled-3] File, which causes this: espshell.c (231,0 КБ)

Please use that topic for further discussion of the subject.

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Function folding glitch on latest (2.3.3)

Large pure C code, attempt to fold a function. For some reason IDE does not fold it right. Instead it allows me to fold a goto label (???) But when I try to fold the label it folds until function end. Is this normal? Screenshots in sequence below: [Untitled-1] [Untitled-2] [Untitled-3] File, which causes this: espshell.c (231,0 КБ)

@vvb333007

Clicking to "Go to the reference" often does nothing

I remember you reported a bug like this previously:

Go to reference when sketches are moved to another disk

My Arduino IDE (latest, 2.3.2) windows 10 installation has an interesting property: when I move sketch directory to another disk (Arduino IDE is installed on C:, sketches are moved to E:) "Go to reference" just stops working. Same for the Ctrl+LMB: only "Loading..." box appears. Seems like it was a bug before but it was fixed? Arduino Temp folder is at C:\Temp

However, the specific bug mentioned there was fixed. Are you still experiencing the problem?

@vvb333007

Clicking to "Go to the reference" often does nothing, but sometimes jumps to completely unrelated code.

Did you mean to say "Go to Definition"? I ask because Arduino IDE doesn't have a "Go to references" feature:

Missing declaration, type definition, references, and refactor functionality

@vvb333007

Ctrl+T autoformats my code even without any notice!

Are you able to reproduce the problem? If so, please provide detailed instructions I can follow to reproduce it on my computer.

@vvb333007

sometimes I press it ( by mistake cause it is a "New Tab" in a browser)

As @docdoc mentioned, you can change the keyboard shortcut for auto format to something else. You can also remove it entirely.

I'll provide instructions for doing both of those things:

Change Shortcut

1. Select File > Advanced > Keyboard Shortcuts (or Arduino IDE > Advanced > Keyboard Shortcuts for macOS users) from the Arduino IDE menus.
   The "Keyboard Shortcuts" tab will open in the Arduino IDE window.
2. Type arduino-auto-format in the "Search keybindings" field of the "Keyboard Shortcuts" tab.
3. Hover the mouse pointer over the "arduino-auto-format" row in the search results.
   A pencil icon ("Edit Keybinding") will appear at the left side of the row.
4. Click the pencil icon.
   The "Edit Keybinding for " dialog will open.
5. The input field in the dialog contains a text representation of the keyboard shortcut. Adjust this according to your preferences.
   ⓘ Notes about the syntax:
   • For most keys you can simply use the name of the key (i.e., a, 3, /, f2).
   • Special key names:
     • cmd - Command key on macOS.
     • ctrlcmd - Ctrl key on Linux/Windows, Command key on macOS.
   • Use the + separator for key combinations (e.g., ctrl+s).
   • Use a space separator for key sequences (AKA "chords") (e.g., ctrl+k ctrl+i).
6. Click the "OK" button in the dialog.
   The dialog will close.
7. Click the X icon on the "Keyboard Shortcuts" tab.

Remove Shortcut

Note that you can still select Edit > Auto Format from the Arduino IDE menus when you want to format your sketch.

Unfortunately there isn't a way to disable keyboard shortcuts via the convenient keyboard shortcuts configuration GUI, but it can be done by manually adding a "removal rule" to the data file where Arduino IDE stores your custom keyboard shortcuts settings.

I'll provide instructions you can follow to do that:

1. Select File > Advanced > Keyboard Shortcuts (or Arduino IDE > Advanced > Keyboard Shortcuts for macOS users) from the Arduino IDE menus.
   The "Keyboard Shortcuts" tab will open in the Arduino IDE window.
2. Click the { } icon at the right side of the tab bar.
   A "keymaps.json" tab will open in a split editor panel.
3. Add the following text to the "keymaps.json" tab:

   [
     {
       "command": "-arduino-auto-format",
       "keybinding": "CtrlCmd+T"
     },
     {
       "command": "-languages.workspace.symbol",
       "keybinding": "ctrlcmd+t"
     }
   ]
   

   If there is existing content in the "keymaps.json" tab, you must merge the above rule into the content.
4. Click the X icon on the "keymaps.json" tab.
5. If you get a save confirmation dialog, click the "SAVE" button.
6. Click the X icon on the "Keyboard Shortcuts" tab.

I found that the "Go to Symbol in Workspace..." command was also mapped to Ctrl/Command+T, so the above instructions disable the shortcut for that as well as "Auto Format".

@docdoc

sometimes I need a taller window but as I grow serial monitor panel height the code window shrinks up to a few lines.

Are you aware of this feature?:

In the IDE 2, can I move the monitor window?

Hi @Beminetonight. Although it is not currently possible to move Serial Monitor to a dedicated window as it is in Arduino IDE 1.x, it is possible to move it from the default location in the bottom panel of the Arduino IDE window to the right side panel. It sounds like that placement might be just the ticket for you. I'll provide instructions you can follow if you want to configure the Serial Monitor location to the right side panel: Press the Ctrl+Shift+P keyboard shortcut (Command+Shift+P fo…

[docdoc]

@ptillisch

Are you aware of this feature?:

No I wasn't, thanks. Btw even if screen is wider than it's tall, moving it to a side is just a workaround as it strictly depends on the width of the serial output lines (the window lacks an "auto-wrap" option, forcing us to "scroll" it horizontally on longer lines).
If in the future a new option "Floating" (like the browsers dev tools window, or F12) will be addded, it will be strongly appreciated.

[ptillisch]

@docdoc

a new option "Floating" (like the browsers dev tools window, or F12) will be addded, it will be strongly appreciated.

The Arduino IDE developers are tracking the request here:

Tear off serial monitor window (and maybe others)

If you have a GitHub account, you can subscribe to that thread to get notifications of any new developments related to this subject:

[UKHeliBob]

@ptillisch

The Arduino IDE developers are tracking the request here:

No progress in 4 years so don't hold your breath waiting for it to be implemented

A fairly good workaround is to open a second instance of the IDE associated with the same COM port and to use the Serial monitor in that instance

[vvb333007]

@ptillisch

Did you mean to say "Go to Definition"?

Yes, sorry. Go To Definition.
Yeah I know I did report all these bugs already i was just giving examples.

As far as I can understand, the syntax colorer is of a very low priority for Arduino IDE team. If it is not true, then I can dig and report colorer glitches. I use GCC extensions here and there and this is where colorer often do weird things.

Thanks for Ctrl+T remapping idea!

Спойлер

As for the "Go To Definition" : it would be great if we can select directories (with source files) which IDE will use to build its search/reference/definitions database. So not only Libraries and sketch files are searched. For example, for ESP32 we can add the sources of ESP-IDF and FreeRTOS to the search database.