Explore supporting multiple run actions on a notebook cell

[miguelsolorio]

We've received requests from the Python extension for the desire to surface multiple run actions for a single cell. This issue is to capture the ux explorations for this.

Split run button

This would allow an extension to specify additional run actions and be in the same location as the current run button

[claudiaregio]

Could the split button also support icons?

1. With this design all the actions begin with run so the users have to read each one, whereas if there were icons whose functionality they're accustomed to would lead to faster reaction time.
2. When the options change based on the context of the cell the muscle memory aspect of the text would be removed, and again icons would have faster reaction time.
3. Any of the drop down run options now require 2 clicks as opposed to 1 in the current Python experience. Specifically with run by line, the icon that activates the run by line state is the same that progresses to the next line. While the other run actions might be used once in a while, run by line is a feature to be expected clicked back to back multiple times and that would take 2 clicks each time. This could be annoying for mouse-heavy users.
4. Do these drop down options support hover tips? Could we have hover tips showing the keyboard shortcut for these actions?

[miguelsolorio]

Since these would be using the native context menus, icons and tooltips would unfortunately not be supported (it's an OS limitation). But showing the keyboard shortcut is something that is supported:

[greazer]

@misolori, couple thoughts:

1. As Claudia pointed out in her response above, run-by-line shouldn't appear in this context menu because of how we have designed run-by-line to work. In the existing notebook implementation, there's a separate button. When you click it once, you enter run-by-line mode. Any further clicks of that same button will step line-by-line. Therefore, we wouldn't want a user to have to continually open the context menu to step to each line. On a related note, as currently implemented, when in run-by-line mode, the normal cell run button becomes a stop button which when pressed continues execution through the rest of the cell and stops run-by-line. However, based on user studies, we have considered supporting (but not yet implemented) 2 ways to stop run-by-line. One way would be to press the stop button to completely halt any further execution of the cell and exit run-by-line. Another way to would be to press the normal run button and the rest of the cell would be run. So, it appears that all three of these buttons will need to be discoverable and available simultaneously to fully support run-by-line.

2. I presume you mean that not all OS's support putting icons in context menus, as I believe Windows does support it. However, even so, I thought there was a font that could be used that contained images, in fact it is the source of many of the images that are used in the quickpicker...
   
   Could this be an option for context menus? Whether we want to or need to is not the question. :)

[miguelsolorio]

@greazer thanks for the feedback. I only added "line by line" in the context menu as an example and it appears that this might not work with the proposed design exploration I posted above.

The icons in context menus is something that we don't currently support due to an electron limitation on macOS. The icons in the quick pick is using our custom menus so we're able to use them there.

[greazer]

Ok, thanks Miguel!

[claudiaregio]

Are there any developments on this front? Had another 3 customers recently request run all/run all above/run all below through survey monkey feedback.

[miguelsolorio]

No updates so far, when this gets added to a milestone or the iteration plan you'll know when we'll pick this up again.

[claudiaregio]

Oh perfect, ok thanks for the reminder

[tanhakabir]

We have this in stable now