[Lazarus] Code Explorer synchronized with caret position

[Hans-Peter Diettrich]

theo schrieb:
> Wouldn't it be useful, if the code explorer had a mode to
> highlight/expand the node which corresponds the current caret-position
> in the source editor? At least in mode "Refresh on Idle" / "Source View".

IMO the code explorer should work (primarily) in the opposite direction, 
as a map from which one can go to the according item in the unit.

> Or is there such an option and I just could not find it?

I'd like an extension to the editor statusbar, where the full unit 
filename is shown - why not append the current procedure or type name there?

> For me, this would be more useful than code-folding.
> - You would know where you are. ;-)
> - You could see neighbour methods, which are probably related with the
> current method.
> - You could see parameters (even if header not visible due to scrolling).
> - You could see var sections (even if var section not visible due to
> scrolling).

IMO such features can become add-ons, which the user can show and dock 
into his preferred position.

> Has this been discussed before? Was it rejected for a reason?

There exist wishes for an splitted editor view, with the declaration (or 
interface) part in one pane, and the implementation in another one. I 
liked that splitted view in VB3 much, 15 years ago, but nowadays I'm not 
so sure.

> Am I right, that the prerequisites for this feature are already there?

Not really, I fear, but it should be possible to add the required 
methods or notifications to the tool interface. The most important 
extension already is in the IDE - multiple independent views of the same 
unit. What's missing is a relationship between editors and other windows 
(Code Explorer...), so that *every* editor window can have its own set 
of such related (docked) windows (as in older Delphi versions). It would 
solve a problem in the current docked layouts, where the visibility 
(top) and focus of e.g. the Messages window and the related editor file 
causes some headaches.

DoDi