Enhancement Request: Cross-window Support for Browse Lite Extension in Visual Studio Code

[kosetei]

Clear and concise description of the problem

When using the Browse Lite extension in Visual Studio Code, users encounter a limitation where the extension does not function in new windows opened through commands like workbench.action.copyEditorToNewWindow. Instead of continuing the browsing session, a message is displayed: "This type of editor is not yet supported in another window" followed by "Close Editor." This disrupts the workflow for those who rely on using the browser within their editor across multiple windows.

Suggested solution

The ideal solution would involve updating the Browse Lite extension to support the serialization and deserialization of its editor state. This would allow the extension to properly restore its state when a tab is moved to a new window. The implementation would involve:

Adding logic to the extension to handle the copyEditorToNewWindow event. Serializing the current state of the browser (URL, history, view state, etc.) when the event is triggered. Passing the serialized state to the new window. Deserializing the state in the new window to restore the browser session. This functionality would be similar to how Visual Studio Code handles native editor types when they are moved between windows.

Alternative

As an alternative, if providing full support for moving Browse Lite tabs between windows is not feasible, a less desirable workaround would be to implement a feature that allows users to quickly reopen the same URL in a new instance of Browse Lite when moved to another window. This would not maintain the full state of the browser session, but it would at least allow users to continue browsing the same page without manually copying and pasting the URL.

Additional context

This enhancement would greatly improve the usability of the Browse Lite extension for developers who utilize multiple monitors or prefer to organize their work across multiple VS Code windows. It would also bring the extension's behavior more in line with the expectations set by standard browser tabs, which can typically be moved freely between windows without losing their state.

Validations

• [X] Follow our Code of Conduct
• [X] Read the Contributing Guide.
• [X] Check that there isn't already an issue that request the same feature to avoid creating a duplicate.