Add highlight feature for resources in eclipse explorers by elsazac · Pull Request #4414 · eclipse-platform/eclipse.platform.ui

elsazac · 2026-09-28T18:55:04Z

Refs: #4336 and eclipse-jdt/eclipse.jdt.ui#3135

This PR adds a new highlight feature to the Eclipse explorers. It allows users to mark individual files with 255,0,0 text color as default foreground color, making important files easier to identify quickly. This also adds a bookmark overlay icon to the resources in order to make it easily recognizable.

In large Eclipse workspaces with many projects and files, it can be difficult to find the files you need.

For example:

Files with similar names — for eg, files such as IBreakpointListener.java, IBreakpointManager.java, IBreakpointManagerListener.java, and IBreakpointsListener.java can look very similar and be difficult to distinguish. Highlighting makes the file you need stand out.
Files currently being worked on — Highlighting helps users keep track of files that are important for the current task.
Important configuration files — Build scripts, deployment files, properties files, and other important configuration files can be highlighted so they are easier to notice.

E1.mov

Project Explorer :

Package Explorer :

This feature allows to Bookmark resources directly from the explorers context menu using the "Toggle Bookmark" context menu option. Bookmarked resources are visually distinguished in the explorer with a configurable foreground color defined under
Window > Preferences > General > Appearance > Colors and Fonts.

To enable the option right click on the resource and click on "Toggle Bookmark". To remove the bookmark, right-click the resource and select it again. The Bookmark is then removed.

The bookmarked entries are also available inside the bookmarks view. The resources will also have a bookmark overlay icon to make it visually recognizable.

github-actions · 2026-09-28T19:37:59Z

Test Results

867 files ±0 867 suites ±0 1h 10m 2s ⏱️ + 3m 29s
8 463 tests ±0 8 221 ✅ ±0 242 💤 ±0 0 ❌ ±0
21 267 runs ±0 20 584 ✅ ±0 683 💤 ±0 0 ❌ ±0

Results for commit 7ecb072. ± Comparison against base commit 5441e2e.

♻️ This comment has been updated with latest results.

elsazac · 2026-09-30T04:22:13Z

@merks Could you check this?

iloveeclipse · 2026-09-30T05:04:43Z

I wonder whether instead of "Highlight" and "Highlights" view we simply can use "Bookmark" wording and "Bookmarks" view. The proposed feature is "just" extending bookmarks functionality from editors to any resource in the explorers.

Copilot

Copilot review overview

🟡 Changes recommended

Highlighting is invisible by default, and the new view and theme-refresh behavior contain functional issues.

Review effort: Balanced
Findings: 4 · 5

Open (9)

Populate or derive a valid location for highlight markers · New
Preserve marker type semantics in the generic type field · New
Provide a visible default distinction for highlighted resources · New
Invalidate highlight decorations when the current theme changes · New
Correct the class @since tag to 3.24 · New
Externalize highlighted resource type labels for translation · New
Externalize file labels and extension-specific marker text · New
Correct the view @since tag to 3.24 · New
Add tests for persistent marker lifecycle transitions · New

What changed in this PR

Adds persistent resource highlighting across Eclipse explorers, backed by workspace markers and exposed through a dedicated Highlights view.

Changes:

Adds highlight marker management, context-menu toggling, and label decoration.
Adds configurable highlight coloring.
Adds a marker-based view listing highlighted resources.

File	Description
`ResourceHighlightManager.java`	Manages persistent highlight markers.
`ResourceHighlightDecorator.java`	Applies highlight styling and refreshes labels.
`ToggleHighlightHandler.java`	Toggles highlights for selected resources.
`org.eclipse.ui.navigator.resources/plugin.xml`	Registers commands, menu, decorator, color, and marker.
`org.eclipse.ui.navigator.resources/plugin.properties`	Adds localized extension labels.
`MarkerSupportRegistry.java`	Defines the Highlights generator ID.
`MarkerTypeField.java`	Special-cases highlight marker display.
`HighlightResourceTypeField.java`	Displays highlighted resource types.
`HighlightedResourcesView.java`	Implements the Highlights view.
`org.eclipse.ui.ide/plugin.xml`	Registers the view and marker columns.
`org.eclipse.ui.ide/plugin.properties`	Adds view and field labels.

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+         <markerFieldReference
+               id="org.eclipse.ui.ide.locationField"
+               visible="true">


+		IMarker marker = item.getMarker();
+		if (marker != null) {
+			try {
+				if (HighlightResourceTypeField.HIGHLIGHT_MARKER_TYPE.equals(marker.getType())) {
+					return HighlightResourceTypeField.getResourceTypeLabel(marker);
+				}
+			} catch (org.eclipse.core.runtime.CoreException e) {
+			}
+		}
 		return ((MarkerSupportItem) item).getMarkerTypeName();


+ * MarkerField that shows the resource type (e.g. "Java File", "Project",
+ * "Folder") for a highlighted resource marker.
+ *
+ * @since 3.4


+			case IResource.FOLDER -> "Folder"; //$NON-NLS-1$
+			case IResource.PROJECT -> "Project"; //$NON-NLS-1$
+			case IResource.ROOT -> "Workspace Root"; //$NON-NLS-1$
+			default -> "Resource"; //$NON-NLS-1$


+			return "File"; //$NON-NLS-1$
+		}
+		return ext + " file"; //$NON-NLS-1$


+/**
+ * The HighlightedResourcesView displays all highlighted resources.
+ *
+ * @since 3.4


+	 *                       to remove any existing ones
+	 * @throws CoreException if the marker operation fails
+	 */
+	public static void setHighlighted(IResource resource, boolean needsHighlight) throws CoreException {


elsazac · 2026-09-30T05:42:04Z

I wonder whether instead of "Highlight" and "Highlights" view we simply can use "Bookmark" wording and "Bookmarks" view. The proposed feature is "just" extending bookmarks functionality from editors to any resource in the explorers.

@iloveeclipse
Thank you for the review. That could definitely be done. But I was just wondering if, since we already have a Bookmarks view in Eclipse , giving the same name might cause some confusion between the two views for users?.

iloveeclipse · 2026-09-30T06:10:00Z

I was just wondering if, since we already have a Bookmarks view in Eclipse , giving the same name might cause some confusion between the two views for users?.

Not same name, same view. Just use same view to manage bookmarks, independently whether they are created for a text editor or for a resource in explorer.

merks · 2026-09-30T07:02:45Z

It seems an appealing suggestion. Less is more...

elsazac · 2026-09-30T10:06:35Z

Not same name, same view. Just use same view to manage bookmarks, independently whether they are created for a text editor or for a resource in explorer.

Yes, that's possible. I will update the PR accordingly.

iloveeclipse · 2026-09-30T12:22:41Z

Also I wonder if the "highlight" which is currently shown only as color could be changed and additionally provide a "bookmark" overlay in the top right corner of the element in the explorers. In your video where just color is used, it is barely different from the rest. Also consider color blind people here which might not notice color if set anyway.

elsazac · 2026-09-30T15:53:39Z

Also I wonder if the "highlight" which is currently shown only as color could be changed and additionally provide a "bookmark" overlay in the top right corner of the element in the explorers. In your video where just color is used, it is barely different from the rest. Also consider color blind people here which might not notice color if set anyway.

Just to make sure I understand correctly, by “top right corner of the element,” do you mean the top-right of the file/folder icon in explorers? something like below?

iloveeclipse · 2026-09-30T16:04:55Z

Yes

merks · 2026-09-30T16:28:12Z

@BeckerWdf

Maybe design experts have advice to share?

elsazac · 2026-10-05T06:41:53Z

I have removed the dedicated view that was created earlier and integrated this into the Bookmarks view in Eclipse. I also added an overlay icon to the resources so they can be easily identified in the explorers.

By Default :

If a specific foreground color applied :

So now one can highlight resources directly from the context menu also they can select a foreground color of their choice. The selected resource will be highlighted with that color and will display an overlay bookmarks icon, along with a corresponding entry in the Bookmarks view.

elsazac · 2026-10-08T06:45:53Z

@iloveeclipse any more suggestions or changes on this?

iloveeclipse · 2026-10-08T09:31:14Z

I just checked the behavior, not the code. Few points:

I believe the new menu is too far down in the menu. What about to move it below "Show In"?

The "Bookmark" menu is also used to remove bookmark. Should it be named "Toggle Bookmark" instead?
The color coding is removed completely?

Beside this, it seem to work as expected, at least for me.
Not sure about others.
@BeckerWdf, @HeikoKlare WDYT about the UX here?

iloveeclipse · 2026-10-08T09:35:54Z

Yet another point: now I see that only bookmarks created by the new method are shown in the explorer. But bookmarks added from the editor aren't shown in the explorer. I assume they should be shown now?
This would be more consistent.

SougandhS · 2026-10-08T10:27:52Z

@iloveeclipse @elsazac
Nice feature! Could we use a more distinguishable default foreground colour for highlighted resources (e.g. red or a similarly strong colours like in jdt objects, breakpoints label.. That way a highlighted item stands out right away

elsazac · 2026-10-08T11:46:47Z

I believe the new menu is too far down in the menu. What about to move it below "Show In"?

Sure. I will bring the content menu to the top, below "Show In".

The "Bookmark" menu is also used to remove bookmark. Should it be named "Toggle Bookmark" instead?

I will rename it.

Yet another point: now I see that only bookmarks created by the new method are shown in the explorer. But bookmarks added from the editor aren't shown in the explorer. I assume they should be shown now? This would be more consistent.

The original code for bookmarks added from the editor did not include the overlay icon, and I haven’t made any changes to that existing functionality. However, I agree that displaying the icon consistently across all bookmark entries, regardless of how they were added, makes it more consistent. I will make those changes as well.

elsazac · 2026-10-08T11:50:02Z

Could we use a more distinguishable default foreground colour for highlighted resources (e.g. red or a similarly strong colours like in jdt objects, breakpoints label.. That way a highlighted item stands out right away

Yes, I think using a more prominent color, like the one in Variables view, would make it much more recognizable and easier to distinguish.

elsazac · 2026-10-09T14:44:17Z

I have updated the code with below changes :

Renamed the name of the feature in context ment
Added the same overlay icon to normal std bookmarks as well.
Gave default foreground color as 255,0,0.
Placed the option at the top of the context menu

elsazac · 2026-10-12T18:01:08Z

@iloveeclipse Is this good to go?

iloveeclipse · 2026-10-12T18:13:38Z

Last time I've checked, I wasn't able to configure color - I've missed preference for that. Is this added back?

Unfortunately I have no time to review this PR code. I also see that PR description is still describing original proposal and showing original screenshots and video.

Would you update everything to better explain proposed feature?

Once you are done with that, I hope to get some more opinions (and code reviews?) from @eclipse-platform/eclipse-platform-committers community.

iloveeclipse · 2026-10-12T18:14:57Z

Class name doesn't match implementation. There is no "highlight" to toggle.

iloveeclipse · 2026-10-12T18:15:48Z

Same here and in messages above. Could you please make everything consistently named?

elsazac · 2026-10-12T19:46:19Z

Last time I've checked, I wasn't able to configure color - I've missed preference for that. Is this added back?

Last time I added COLOR_LIST foreground color. After the new suggestions I felt it would be better to have a more prominent foreground color, hence changed default foreground color to 255,0,0.

Would you update everything to better explain proposed feature?

Sure, will update that.

iloveeclipse · 2026-10-12T20:21:19Z

Last time I've checked, I wasn't able to configure color - I've missed preference for that. Is this added back?

Last time I added COLOR_LIST foreground color. After the new suggestions I felt it would be better to have a more prominent foreground color, hence changed default foreground color to 255,0,0.

I've missed the way to change color preference on the preferences page UI.

elsazac · 2026-10-12T20:35:18Z

I've missed the way to change color preference on the preferences page UI.

That option was never removed. There is this option in colors and font preference page, where you can change the default color to user preference :

elsazac · 2026-10-14T12:13:01Z

The overall changes are :

There is a "Toggle Bookmark" option in the context menu. Upon selection the resource in the explorers will be highlighted wth a foreground color and bookmark overlay icon.
when selected again, the bookmark will be removed.
There is a default foreground color of 255,0,0.
The foreground color can also be changed optionally from the colors and font preference page.
The bookmarked resources will have a bookmark overlay icon to distinguish it easily.
The bookmarked resources will be available in the bookmarks view along with other standard bookmarks added via editor.
With this commit, the standard bookmarks added via editor will also now have an overlay icon over in the explorers.

I have also updated the description and Screenshots with the latest updates.

merks · 2026-10-14T12:21:15Z

The intense red is really screamingly loud. To me it's so loud it's probably the very first thing I would try to change, hopefully finding the preference, which is generally a "find Waldo exercise". I wonder if @jasmin261098 and @vogella have any thoughts about this.

I feel stupid asking, but I assume the menu item is one with a check state...

iloveeclipse · 2026-10-14T13:03:43Z

The intense red is really screamingly loud.

If it would always work, yes, it would be too loud.

I don't see the color changed at all on files. It only works on folders:

What about the font style (bold) by default and not changing default color but let the possibility to change to the user?

Beside this, can the label decoration preferences (and anything else I've missed) be reworded to consistently use "bookmark" instead of the "highlight" wording?

jensli · 2026-10-14T17:38:30Z

What a nice little feature. :)

I really like how this adds functionality to a new domain by extending an existing feature. No new views or new concepts or other things that increase the UI surface area and complexity that users must learn. Just generalisation of something already existing.

elsazac · 2026-10-14T17:51:45Z

I don't see the color changed at all on files. It only works on folders:

Can you apply latest changes? It works for me as shown below :

E2.mov

Beside this, can the label decoration preferences (and anything else I've missed) be reworded to consistently use "bookmark" instead of the "highlight" wording?

Yes I have updated it to "Bookmark" everywhere.

Copilot

🟡 Changes recommended

Unresolved localization keys and unsafe cross-bundle marker references cause user-visible and runtime failures.

11 open findings

2 resolved since last review

🧠 Review effort: Balanced

         <markerTypeReference
               id="org.eclipse.core.resources.bookmark">
         </markerTypeReference>
+         <markerTypeReference
+               id="org.eclipse.ui.navigator.resources.highlightMarker">
+         </markerTypeReference>


elsazac · 2026-10-14T18:19:14Z

+decorator.bookmark.name=Bookmark Resource
+decorator.bookmark.description=Bookmarks resources using a dedicated font color.
+command.toggleBookmark.name=Toggle Bookmark
+command.toggleBookmark.label=Toggle Bookmark
+
+colorDefinition.bookmarkColor.label=Bookmarked Resource Font Color
+colorDefinition.bookmarkColor.description=The foreground color used to bookmark resources in different explorers.
+
+marker.bookmark.name=Bookmark


Not sure why copilot is flagging this. It is already been renamed to "Bookmark" and all %key references in plugin.xml have matching definitions in plugin.properties

+				if (Thread.currentThread() == display.getThread()) {
+					fetcher.run();
+				} else {
+					display.syncExec(fetcher);


+	/**
+	 * enables or removes the highlight state of the resource.
+	 */
+	public static void setHighlighted(IResource resource, boolean needsHighlight, String name) throws CoreException {


This commit introduces a feature to highlight a resource by applying a configurable theme foreground color to resources in the explorer.These highlighted resources also has entries in the Eclipse Marker's view with Resource, Path, Location, and Type columns.

ruspl-afed · 2026-10-15T11:09:49Z

+			if (alreadyHighlighted) {
+				runMarkerOp(resource, false, null);
+			} else {
+				InputDialog dialog = new InputDialog(


Showing dialog inside cycle does not look very user-friendly.

ruspl-afed · 2026-10-15T11:11:18Z

+			boolean alreadyHighlighted = ResourceBookmarkManager.isHighlighted(resource);
+
+			if (alreadyHighlighted) {
+				runMarkerOp(resource, false, null);


Running individual resource operation for each cycle step may lead to performance degradation.

ruspl-afed · 2026-10-15T11:18:58Z

+/**
+ * For managing the highlight markers on resources.
+ */
+public final class ResourceBookmarkManager {


The whole class looks questionable: "manager" with two static methods only. One of them later wrapped by anonymous IWorkspaceOperation, another is used more like predicate. It does not "manage" anything, may be it is better to have two separate classes with more clear contsract.

ruspl-afed · 2026-10-15T11:19:36Z

+ * Label decorator that highlights resources with a foreground color when marked
+ * with a highlight marker.
+ */
+public class ResourceBookmarkDecorator implements ILightweightLabelDecorator {


Perhaps it should be final

elsazac · 2026-10-15T12:42:50Z

Once the UI part is fixed, I can work on the code changes.

Few suggestions regarding the color and font:

A distinguished foreground color+ Bold font (red would be ideal, but since the earlier red is bit too bright, it could be changed ) few suggestions below which is a combination of color and bold font :

a.

b.

c.

A color_List foreground + bold font. eg :Like in the below. Not sure on how this works on other OS (I am on Mac) and different themes (for some reason, switching the theme of the launched eclipse doesn't render the UI properly for me due to which I couldn't test on light theme) .

The RGB (255,0,0) + bold font just like how it is in breakpoints label

This is perhaps the breakpoints label view where the same color is the default color :

If any of these options work, we can go ahead with that. Otherwise, we could explore other ideas as well. open to any suggestions!

elsazac force-pushed the HighlightImarkerImp branch 3 times, most recently from c24bc83 to f72f72d Compare September 30, 2026 04:21

elsazac force-pushed the HighlightImarkerImp branch from f72f72d to 79ce847 Compare September 30, 2026 04:44

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elsazac force-pushed the HighlightImarkerImp branch from ef254e1 to 2c6f26b Compare October 9, 2026 14:39

elsazac force-pushed the HighlightImarkerImp branch from 2c6f26b to 272261a Compare October 12, 2026 18:00

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