Qt Creator plugin - how to hide output panes

SebastianM

Qt Creator 18, MSVC 2022, QT 6.10, Windows 10

I'm developing plugin.
I would like to hide or show bottom output pane.
Working solution is to use CommandIDs.

#include <coreplugin/actionmanager/actionmanager.h>
#include <coreplugin/actionmanager/command.h>

void YourPlugin::hideAllOutputPanes()
{
    // Hide common built-in panes by their Command IDs
    QStringList paneCommands = {
        "QtCreator.Pane.Issues",
        "QtCreator.Pane.ApplicationOutput",
        "QtCreator.Pane.CompileOutput",
        "QtCreator.Pane.SearchResults",
        "QtCreator.Pane.TestResults",
        "QtCreator.Pane.GeneralMessages"
    };

    for (const QString &id : paneCommands) {
        Core::Command *cmd = Core::ActionManager::command(Utils::Id::fromString(id));
        if (cmd && cmd->action() && cmd->action()->isChecked()) {
            // Trigger to toggle/hide the pane
            cmd->action()->trigger();
        }
    }
}

Is there better way?
I see that output pane manager is internal class and doesn't provide official API. Using it is risky.

Marcus Tillmanns

You don't need to write a full plugin for this these days. You can write a (Lua) Script via "Tools => Scripting => New Script" with the following code:

A = require'Action'
--- Open any pane
A.trigger("QtCreator.Pane.Issues")
--- Switch to the general messages pane
A.trigger("QtCreator.Pane.GeneralMessages")
--- Close the pane
A.trigger("QtCreator.Pane.GeneralMessages")

Once saved, you can bind it to a shortcut as well (e.g. if you call it "hide-all-panes.lua", there will be an Action "Lua.Scripts.hide-all-panes" to trigger it).

SebastianM

Wow, I didn't know about this.
It works well for me need.
Thank you.

SebastianM

Do you know @Marcus-Tillmanns how to ensure that Left/Right sidebar is hidden?
Action QtCreator.ToggleLeftSidebar - as name suggest - will change from hidden to visible and vice-verse.
In C++ I can check cmd->action()->isChecked() to make choice when to hide or show. In Lua actions I see only triggering action, not checking action or command state.

Marcus Tillmanns

There is no way to do that at the moment. I've added a new "setChecked" function here: https://codereview.qt-project.org/c/qt-creator/qt-creator/+/698994
Feel free to comment or suggest other functions as well.

SebastianM

Thank you.
That covers case action.setChecked("QtCreator.ToggleLeftSidebar", false) - so I can hide sidebars.
Similary with action.setChecked(""QtCreator.Modes.IconsOnly", true).