Virtual Directory

[jacob7395]

Hi,

Is it possible to create virtual directories within the tree?

If not how feasible would it be to do this (in or outside of the plugin)?

For csharp solutions, the director structure can be managed with virtual folders. It's not a massive problem but it is a pain when I have a folder with 60 flat project folders in it.

There are a couple of ways to approach it, ideal reading the solution then adding some virtual folders to the tree. But if that is too hard, I could use a naming conversation with SolutionName.ModuleName.ProjName becoming 3 directors in the tree.

This all relies on having a way to add virtual directions in the API.

I'm happy if this isn't directly supported by the API, I'm just wondering if it's possible with this plugin.

[alex-courtis]

Unfortunately I'm not familiar with virtual folders / windows.

Are they entries (directories?) on the file system? Is it a visual studio concept?

Would symlinks meet your requirements?

[jacob7395]

Unfortunately not it, the file structure remains for the solutions, for example;

• projA
• projB
• solution.sln

Then within the solution files I could make a folder so in an IDE it would look like;

• Module
  -- projA
  -- projB

This is useful since from my experience moving dotnet projects can be painful so being able to have a directory structure that is separate to the actual directory structure is handy.

So what I am asking is how feasible it would be to be able to add a directory to the nvim-tree that is not in the physical director structure. I am happy to look into implementing it just don't want to spend a day going down a dead end.

[alex-courtis]

I see; I think I've seen something similar with IntelliJ java projects.

Can you please link me an example project/repo and detail exactly how that would look? Defining a schema for the "project metadata" is the first step.

This is not a simple feature and would require significant work. It may be useful for other project / directory specific features.

[jacob7395]

I will put together some note and example along with a few possible options as I see them. Might be ablet to do this tonight if not I'll do it over the weekend :)

[jacob7395]

I have created a simple c# project in rider and created this repo for it. The project directory structure is;

In Rider is looks like;

For context I created the following extra structure in the solution;

1. Added a virtual directory called SolutionFolder
2. Put the AddedProject into SolutionFolder
3. Added a reference to README.md in SolutionFolder
4. Added a reference to README.md in ExampleProject

The .sln and .csproj files are used by rider/dotnet to understand where the projects are located relative to the solution. So in the .sln each project is defined with a guid, name, and relative path to the .csproj.

Project("{FAE04EC0-301F-11D3-BF4B-00C04F79EFBC}") = "ExampleProject", "ExampleProject\ExampleProject.csproj", "{DED24069-92D4-45F5-81BD-3162A6A8126D}"
EndProject
Project("{FAE04EC0-301F-11D3-BF4B-00C04F79EFBC}") = "AddedProject", "AddedProject\AddedProject.csproj", "{C14887EC-50DB-4898-B6F5-DA19B36EBE0A}"
EndProject

The solution folder is also defined in the .csproj, where similar information is added as the project with the addition of a section description the README.md reference.

Project("{2150E333-8FDC-42A3-9474-1A3956D46DE8}") = "SolutionFolder", "SolutionFolder", "{CA6E1C96-E210-47B9-AF02-E7E5AF71E533}"
	ProjectSection(SolutionItems) = preProject
		README.md = README.md
	EndProjectSection
EndProject

Final AddedPorject is moved to the SolutionFolder later in the file using the guids described above.;

GlobalSection(NestedProjects) = preSolution
    {C14887EC-50DB-4898-B6F5-DA19B36EBE0A} = {CA6E1C96-E210-47B9-AF02-E7E5AF71E533}
EndGlobalSection

The README.md reference for the .csproj is defined in ExampleProject.csproj;

    <ItemGroup>
      <Content Include="..\README.md">
        <Link>README.md</Link>
      </Content>
    </ItemGroup>

---

In my option, it reading/managing the structure of the tree to match what Rider dose should not be the responsibility of nvim-tree. I would be happy to try and kick off a dependent plugin to achieve this.

For the nvim-tree side I think adding the ability to create a virtual director and a file link with the API would be good. To support the above use cases I think they would need an api endpoint that allowing you to create one of these nodes (I think that is the correct terminology), where a virtual path relative to the CWD is given along with name. This path may need to be another node, where the given node would be come the parent of this virtual directory.

For the File it would also require a path to the physical file on disk, this is basically a symlink without the physical file.

On the virtual directory node I would expect the following functionality;

• Ability to add other nodes, weather they be virtual or physical.
• It should not have the ability to add new real files or directors, since there would be no where to put these on disk.

I don't think there is anything else required for the this, in all other ways I would expect it to act like a directory node. Adding nodes to this tree would be a bit annoying but I think a function that uses telescope (or equivalent) would be sufficient. This could be handled by the consumers and an example added to the recipes.

I am happy to create an issue and capture the spec that I believe nvim tree would require. If you are happy for this to be something nvim tree supports that is.

I can also make an attempt at creating the file link as this seems like the simpler and will hopefully give an idea of any possible issues.

[alex-courtis]

Thank you. I understand the problem now - a completely new replacement root structure that symlinks cannot represent.

In my option, it reading/managing the structure of the tree to match what Rider dose should not be the responsibility of nvim-tree. I would be happy to try and kick off a dependent plugin to achieve this.

It could be nvim-tree's responsibility however it would need to be a generic mapping, rather than the proprietary sln mapping, which would then get out of sync.

An Extension Plugin would be great as it could be specific to this use case and usable by others.

I am happy to create an issue and capture the spec that I believe nvim tree would require. If you are happy for this to be something nvim tree supports that is.

That would be great. Fair warning:

• This will not be easy to implement, as the most basic assumption of nvim-tree is that every node represents a real object on the filesystem.
• nvim-tree developers do not have availability to build this, however can review this

I can also make an attempt at creating the file link as this seems like the simpler and will hopefully give an idea of any possible issues.

That would be most useful - MVP should validate our assumptions and reveal any additional requirements.

[alex-courtis]

Alternative: use rider with the jetbrains ideavim plugin.

I use IntelliJ for java at work, using it's official ideavim plugin with its nerdtree and vim-commentary plugins. See my ideavimrc with some telescope-like mappings. When writing java in the project I use IntelliJ otherwise I use vim, accepting its limitations.

Sometimes a new starter asks how they can use vim instead of intellij. I recommend not doing so, as workflows, builds, linters etc. are all set up for IntelliJ. Over many years that advice has proven correct, based on longer term feedback I have received.