Che: 'Open Terminal in specific container' usability

[RomanNikitenko]

Summary

Open Terminal in specific container action displays empty list of containers for case when user
has only tool containers.

Please see https://youtu.be/khkxUxTVgH0

Is it expected behavior?
May be for this case list of tool containers should be displayed without empty dropdown list and additional actions from user's side.

Relevant information

Example of Devfile

apiVersion: 1.0.0
metadata:
  name: test-terminals
projects:
  - name: che-theia
    source:
      type: git
      location: 'https://github.com/eclipse/che-theia.git'
components:
  - reference: >-
      https://raw.githubusercontent.com/eclipse/che-plugin-registry/master/v3/plugins/eclipse/che-theia/next/meta.yaml
    type: cheEditor
    alias: theia-editor
commands:
  - name: test task
    actions:
      - workdir: /projects
        type: exec
        command: sleep 30 && echo "hello world"
        component: theia-editor

[azatsarynnyy]

I don't think that hiding some part of the whole list is a good UX. I'd agree if it was a huge list of containers. But usually, it isn't. There're just several items.

Occasionally I see the questions, on Che MM channel, that there's no sidecar container in the list. Maybe it isn't obvious that one should hit the hotkey twice. I think it's an unnecessary complication today.

As far as I remember it was applied when we were not able to use a separator in Theia.

I propose not to hide the tool containers but use a separator between the two groups. E.g. Runtime containers and Tool containers.
Like we're already using it for the tasks list:

I believe it would be much simpler both from the UX point of view and impl.

[azatsarynnyy]

@slemeur WDYT about dividing the list to two groups with a separator instead of hiding a part of the list? Wouldn't it be simpler and clearer for the user?

[tsmaeder]

Maybe it isn't obvious that one should hit the hotkey twice. I think it's an unnecessary complication today.

It most certainly is not! However, the terminals can be opened from the "My Workspace" view. P2

[vzhukovs]

Fixed with https://github.com/eclipse/che/issues/13390