Repository: vscode
Issue: Secondary Side Bar: Activity Bar Location
Labels: feature-request,workbench-views

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The behavior of the activity bar has changed in the last update, seems improved but there is a bit regresion for my personal use and also inconsistencies:

* The secondary activity bar now forcefully hides along with the main one: I used to hide the main and always keep the secondary (with its icons)...

![2024-04-10_(093823)_Code](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/assets/26868611/050acab0-bea1-431b-b8b8-4e2da66c77f2)

So instead of opening a bug request I guess we should move forward and add "Secondary Activity Bar: Location" and therefore be able to switch between "HIDDEN", "top", "botton"... Maybe only the main one can be docked at the "side" too (ok for both IMO).

* The current "default" keeps main at the side and the secondary at the top, but the secondary bar behaves DIFFERENT when switching to location "top". The title of the current active area is displayed:
  * > **REMARK**: The issue is that now it also shows it for sidebars with multiple docked views as explaned next...

![2024-04-10_(094538)_Code](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/assets/26868611/782bf44c-fc6a-423c-9aac-cd46edb0e73f)

In this case I also prefer the "default" (pre-update) behavior. Most of the times the icon is descriptive enough, there is no need for the title. It would be great to add a new setting like ~~"Activity Bar: Titles"~~ to be able to hide then and gain vertical space. Maybe per main/secondary, but I doubt anyone would want it differ per bar.

* Moreover, in many cases the title is repeated when there is a view docked with the same name. Also the context manus for the title are redundant: available on the icon, title, three-dots and also any of the docked views titles... So it basically gives little info over just the icon and the menus are uneeded.

![2024-04-10_(100357)_Code](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/assets/26868611/84a33c72-fd6d-4eb3-81e5-1839bc6a9a55)

* > **REMARK**: okay this seems to be the case only for side-bar contexts where multiple docked views reside. In cases where a single one is present the title can be potentially useful when it adds additional buttons e.g. collapse, sort, etc. But for multiple viws, it is always redundant (just title and dots) and inconsistent with "default" workbench.activityBar.location. So the potential new setting should target these cases, not view titles promoted to sidebar titles when is the only docked view. Here is an example of the additional title being introduced (does not with "default" workbench.activityBar.location):

![2024-04-10_(102315)_Code](https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/assets/26868611/10faa731-135d-429a-a84c-da48bc19d163)

> Overall, I would be fine with a setting like "Activity Bar: Titles"and having both bars docked at the top, so probably I would not need location per bar... but it seems like the way to move forward. IMO I would prioritize "Activity Bar: Titles" as it frees vertical space as a new notable feature.

Thanks for the work guys!
Best regards