No way to format document symbols and outline with custom symbol filters

[twoseascharlie]

There doesn't appear to be a way to control the way custom symbol filter rules are displayed in the outline.

Ex:
using this config:

        {
            "pattern": "build*.xml",
            "expressions" :[
                {
                    "xpath": "//target/@name"
                },
                {
                    "xpath": "//text()"
                }
            ]
        }

If I have a symbol filter for text, it is shown next to the element in the outline:

If I have a symbol filter for an attribute, it is shown as a child element in the outline:

For an extension that has great customizability, this seems like a missing customization point. I would love the ability to move the attribute in the outline to the same line as the xml element.

[angelozerr]

What is your suggestion to customize that?

[twoseascharlie]

I think I would see it working 1 of 2 ways:

Option 1:
Introduce a new preference that allows for single attribute symbol filters to be on the same line as their element.
ex:
xml.symbols.filters.singleAttributePosition: 'sameLine' | 'nestedLine'

Or
2. Introduce a new "format" field to the "expression" object for attribute selectors that could control the position and whether to show the attribute value only (and not the attribute name).
ex:

        {
            "pattern": "build*.xml",
            "expressions" :[
                {
                    "xpath": "//target/@name",
                    "format": 
                            {
                                // keep the value of the attribute "name" on the same line
                                // as the target element, and only show the attribute value
                                "position": "sameLine",
                                "valueOnly": true
                            }
                },
                {
                    "xpath": "//text()"
                }
            ]
        }

Example mocked up screenshot:

I would think this specific case would only be applied when there is only 1 attribute being shown in the outline. For cases where there is more than 1 attribute, I certainly understand it making sense to show them nested under their elements.

For my specific use of this, it would be very helpful to be able to quickly see all the target names in my build.xml file (and it would be nice for all the property names too). But I could certainly see this kind of customization point being useful for other xml based files as well.

[angelozerr]

Ok I see the idea thanks. For the moment, I don't know when we will able to implement this feature.

[twoseascharlie]

Ok sounds good, I appreciate you taking a look at this :)

[twoseascharlie]

Closing this issue as this has been implemented with:
#636
eclipse/lemminx/#1151