I would like different key-bindings for metadata-as-source vs decompile-sources

[CyrusNajmabadi]

Related to: #26415

I'm finding the current situation around decompilation unsatisfying, and i've finally figured out why. It turns out i use goto-def on metadata symbols for two reasons:

1. to actually see how they were implemented.
2. to just get a high level view of all the signatures and capabilities of the type.

I want decompile for 1 and i use MAS for 2. The reason for MAS currently is that hte decompile experience is just pretty poor in many ways. It doesn't clean things up like MAS does, and i can't easily 'collapse to definitions' and get the same overview mode that MAS gives me.

So, i would really like decompile to improve in many ways in terms of making the experience much more like MAS. Note that MAS was not done haphazardly. Even in the first release we added it (maybe VS2005?), we spent a lot of effort on making the UI very clean, and very effective for being able to absorb all the data easily. For example, the way that we collapse comments such that they are to the left of a signature, as opposed to being above the signature is very intentional. it ensures that you can see all sigs nicely against each other.

We also group and sort members appropriately.

I would love it if decompilation could make as good an experience as MAS. If it could, i think i could use it full time. But until then, i do not like that is has hijacked the experience and i cannot get both experiences in the same session without a lot of annoyance.

[CyrusNajmabadi]

Tagging @dotnet/roslyn-ide @DustinCampbell @sharwell @Pilchie for thoughts here on the best path forward.

[jasonmalinowski]

I would love it if decompilation could make as good an experience as MAS. If it could, i think i could use it full time. But until then

Is there a small list of things that would mean this was as good as that? I am sympathetic (and agree in my own usage of this too)....but wondering if there's some small papercuts that we can use to make it actually better vs. workaround it .

[CyrusNajmabadi]

Yes. @jasonmalinowski i've at least identified some stuff here: dotnet/csharplang#1485

The collapsing and really good comment placement are extremely valuable for giving that condensed view of the world. Also ordering. Right now it looks like decompilation puts nested types first. But i didn't ask to go to def on the nested type. I went to ImmutableArray. I want to see that first. And, if i'm interested, i can expand the nested types at the bottom.

I agree, MAS may not at all be important of decompilation can be polished appropriately. However, until that happens, i would like both systems.

[CyrusNajmabadi]

Closing out due to improvements in decompiled sources.