Vscode-jupyter: Variable explorer pane "flashing" - refreshing with every click when run by line enabled

[claudiaregio]

Bug: Notebook Editor, Interactive Window, Editor cells

Steps to cause the bug to occur

1. Create any test code that has updating variables
2. Open variable explorer
3. Run by line
4. Every click causes the entire pane to refresh as opposed to just updating the variables

Actual behavior

Expected behavior

Values in the variable explorer should be the only thing updating, not the whole pane refreshing with every click. If not possible, performance should be much faster such that it is less noticeable to user. Needs to be more fluid.

Microsoft Data Science for VS Code Engineering Team: @rchiodo, @IanMatthewHuff, @DavidKutu, @DonJayamanne, @greazer, @joyceerhl

[DonJayamanne]

Looks like a bug at our end, we seem to be clearing it and then relaoding it.
Cuz we can see a temporary message No variables defined.

[rchiodo]

This is likely a side effect of the variable explorer refresh only working when execution count changes. Refresh from the debugger likely deletes all variables to work around this. I should have instead added another property that was step count or something so that variables could be refreshed in place.

[DonJayamanne]

Thanks, saved me from debugging, was in the process of compiling webviews.

[greazer]

In our QPs, this came up over and over again. It makes it really difficult to use Run-by-line and actually see what's happening.

[rchiodo]

and actually see what's happening.

How is that? Does it take too long to refresh? It doesn't resize anything when this happens so you just have to wait. The wait (after we fix the flash) will still be the same amount of time though.

[greazer]

They want to watch variables changing. As it works right now, the scroll position is reset and the flash is distracting if they are just checking to see if a variable is changing.

[IanMatthewHuff]

Validated. Doesn't flash anymore when stepping by line with variable changes.