Limit task output to most recent task only

[akbyrd]

Issue Type

Feature Request

Description

I'd like the task output to 1) never show output from more than one task, and 2) not create a new terminal instance panel each time.

Using the "new" option ensures I'm only ever looking at the output for one task, but then I end up with a new terminal instance for every task run.

Using the "shared" option is closest to what I want, but it's rarely/never useful to me to be able to scroll up and see the output from the previous build. In fact, it gets in the way quite often as I scroll up too far and don't realize I'm looking at old task output, not the current task.

Ideally, I'd like the shared option, but have it clear the terminal each time. Adding 'cls' to the batch script I use to build doesn't clear the terminal instance panel.

VS Code Info

VS Code version: Code 1.20.1 (f88bbf9, 2018-02-13T15:34:36.336Z)
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.16299

[vscodebot]

(Experimental duplicate detection)
Thanks for submitting this issue. Please also check if it is already covered by an existing one, like:

• Assign default task to last task I've run (#41455)

[dbaeumer]

I can add an options to clear the terminal output, however we will not be able to share a terminal over two runs. The reason is that we couldn't find a way to determine whether a terminal is idle or not. So we don't know when a task has finished.

[akbyrd]

I can add an options to clear the terminal output,

Perfect, thanks!

however we will not be able to share a terminal over two runs

Wait, this is what VSCode already does with presentation.panel = shared.

Are we thinking of different behaviors when we say 'share a terminal'? In my case, I'm referring to the way the shared option doesn't create a new 'tab' in that drop down menu on the top right of the Terminal.

[dbaeumer]

The option shared shares the panel not the underlying terminal process. So yes, the panel can be shared the underlying terminal process which runs the task is not shared. So if you execute two tasks in a row then the create two terminal processes which both present their output in the same panel.

[akbyrd]

Gotcha. I was referring to the ability to share the panel. I've updated to original wording to reflect that more accurately.

[BrianHarris]

This should be supported with "panel": "dedicated" too.

[alexr00]

@akbyrd, does #61329 solve this for you?

[akbyrd]

Yea, I think that will solve my problem nicely. Thank you!

[alexr00]

Duplicate of #30058