I would at least ask to make this configurable.

While some users might enjoy it, I prefer minimalistic style of ST2, and the use of system icons, or worse, crappy open source icons, would annoy me as hell.

I wouldn't mind textual CVS indication, though, if it is elegant.

Most of the time the visual distinctiveness with these files is so small that you have to take extra time to find the right file/folder. I'm all for subtle clues, but in this case the clues are too subtle for me. Another, maybe more original, way of trying to solve this problem (instead of using icons) is to change the color of a filename based on the filetype. For example making folders a little yellowish, PHP files a little purple, Python files a little blue and so on.

Anyhow I would strongly support adding visual clues to the sidebar.

It would be great it clicking the icon opened the file while clicking the filename kept the current behaviour.

It would be even more awesome if this became configurable. Say have  a way to override the icon for a specific file. I am imagining changing icons based on passing/failing tests with something like guard. 

And of course git (or other source control) status could be reflected in the icons as well...

In any case, if there's any question, let the user decide: Allow us to toggle display of document-type icons on/off. You could go a bit further by allowing the user to select icon sets to be used, or allow them to be defined in a UI Theme.

It looks like there's also a "font.bold":true attribute that can be added to classes in Default.sublime-theme to bold sidebar elements aside from this setting.

Something like this: http://d.pr/i/9igT would be really cool.

Speed of usage on the other hand is an issue, and I know that if I could see icons to represent different filetypes and version control statuses I would be significantly quicker at working in Sublime Text. 

Chocolat for Mac has a great range of sidebar icons, very well designed and differentiated enough that I can easily see what type files are. The lack of this feature is one of the very few annoyances I have with Sublime Text.

*If done properly, anyway.

The Chocolat really good sidebar.

Aw, you got my hopes up. I thought this was a screenshot of a plugin =)

I might have to switch to chocolat one of these days..

Please add this feature!! I really noticed the difference when switching from RubyMine. I'm mainly working with Rails and is much harder to spot a file or folder with Sublime than it is with Rails, due to the lack of icons. 

Must be really hard to implement, or Jon really doesn't like the idea :) So many votes here. This is the most obvious issue I have with ST at the moment. Other higher voted features may be more important, but this one is staring me in the face all day long every day and almost every other editor out there (even the most basic ones) at least show file icons.

I disagree with this being added to the core of ST.

The default choice is clean and elegant and avoids a file full of icon graphics that I don't want. I am not saying that those who do want these things are wrong for them, I am saying it is wrong for me.

Happily you can add these icons to the sidebar of you want them. Visit the Theming of the sidebar item to see examples of people doing just what you are looking for along with download to implement it and tips on how to make your own tweaks.

I can have the clean layout I like and you can add what you see as helpful visual aids and I see as nasty clutter and we are all happy.

ST for the win!

The API option for it could be nice, but I agree with jan otte.

The fact is currently there is no way to actually add this into ST nor even ST3 it's a huge feature request and has been high up on many people's desires for years.

Sure some people will want the clean interface but it should be easy enough to allow an API or setting to turn normal icons on.

Right now the best solution is to hack the arrow graphic to get folder icons which does little to solve the issue of having visual cues to files.

Again Jan Otte you're wrong here because the API does not currently allow full icon integration in the sidebar and I think this feature request is directed at solving that issue at least.

The description of the initial post on the thread contains 'show icons near files and folders'. I was insufficiently explicit in saying that the answers in the other thread were about the folders, rather than the files.

I plead guilty to that lack of complete clarity. 

But surely it was worth drawing people's attention to the fact that some of what they want is available and that there is a discussion of how that might be achieved on another thread? Or is that something you think is a bad thing?

To be totally clear. I do NOT want this implemented. I do NOT want an API. I do NOT want a set of file and/or folder icons. I like things as they are. Things being the way they are is part of the reason I bought and use ST and will buy the ST3 upgrade.

You, apparently feel differently. That's lovely and thanks for sharing.

I certainly do feel differently. The lack of file and folder icons (and no, hacking images doesn't count) is *the* major problem I have with ST2, and it seems ST3.

This request has been outstanding so long with no real word from the developer about why it has not been implemented ("wonfix", or is it just technically difficult?) that it really gives me cause to hesitate before purchasing, and every few months I re-evaluate the competition to see how they are stacking up. If ST2 had implemented this, I would not hesitate to purchase and I would not bother to evaluate the competition.

If you do NOT want this feature implemented, why are you even bothering to comment here? Go and vote on some other feature request instead of trying to dismiss the 600 votes for this feature.

Are you really suggesting that:

1 - Expressing a contrary opinion is in any way analogous to "trying to dismiss the 600 votes for this feature"?

2 - That only people who agree with a thread should comment on that thread?

Is that really truly what you are suggesting?

Really?

Seriously?

You really put those statements in print and posted it on the internet and 21 hours later haven't regretted them enough to retract them?

Well it seems that there are a quite a few things we disagree about in this world far more fundamental than the benefits or otherwise of icons in the sidebar.

Anyway, I hope you feel better for putting your opinion out there for everyone to read and understand where you are coming from. I for one welcome open discussion and am completely happy that you have an opinion about the icon thing that is different to mine. I don't consider you disagreeing with me to be a negation of my opinion. 

I am not so happy with the stuff about expressing my opinion being in some way a negation of other people's opinion or the desire for conversations to be echo chambers but if it makes you happier to try and arrange things so you are never confronted with the fact that some people disagree with you then I wish you well with the attempt.

Thanks for sharing.

Peace and love.

Just saying, you could probably make better use of your time advocating for features you do actually want, instead of advocating against features that 600 other people want.

You seem to really NOT want this feature to be implemented (your emphasis), but I really don't see why having the option for those who want it would make any difference to those who don't, and so I am agreeing with you that yes, we do feel differently.

My emphasis was simply intended to point out why I had not fully researched all the available options etc. and had therefore rushed an earlier posting.

Thanks for your concern about how I spend my time but that is fine and under control.

The reasons I don't support this idea are:

1 - I think the idea is bad and goes against the ST minimalistic aesthetic by introducing the kind of visual clutter that Jon has set out to avoid in building ST

2 - If Jon invests time into this then he will have less time to devote to things I do want to see implemented so things I want  will be slower to arrive or will never be implemented

3 - Any additional code to implement this feature that I don't want is simply bloat for me which must neccessarily have some (possibly trivial) impact on the size of the download and install and the performance of the app (again possibly trivial). 

Since all of these are negatives (even if possibly trivial) and are incured to add a feature that I think is a bad idea and don't want then that's the 'difference' it makes to me.

For you and 600+ other people the pro/con analysis is the opposite of mine. That's cool but my opinion is the only one I am allowed to have.

Anyway I think your key point that providing positive description of exactly what is being sought here and how people would best like to see it handled would be more likely to progress this is a powerful one.

Would it be enough for Jon to provide an API that allowed attaching icon graphics to folders and files?

Or do people expect Jon to supply one or more sets of icons?

Should these be part of the standard download or an optional download from the ST site? Or from some other source?

Has there been an agreement amongst a substantial subset of the 600 on what would comprise a minimum set of icons?

Is there some agreement on a style?

Has someone presented a set of icons as the proposed default set that they are able to present as suitable and free of licence issues for Jon or some scheme developer to use as the start of a design pattern?

I don't present all these as arguments against the matter but just starting to dig through the chain of decisions that someone will need to make at some point and those who want this stuff have the highest motivation to do that planning and negotiation work to present as cleanly a packaged up change proposal as can be constructed and thereby increase the likelihood of having it implemented by removing as many of the little steps and hurdles as can be reasonably done.

Were you around back when the current app icon was implemented and witnessed the wailing and distress from a substantial number of people? Any graphic set is going to have the same issues multiplied several times so having that heartache up front and out of the way is going to make it less worrisome for Jon to buy into more of these anxieties about different people's tastes and preferences about visuals.

For me, avoiding the whole issue is the best option but that is a minority view on this thread. For those who have a clear set of preferences then setting them out fully and clearly and debating them amongst those keen to see the idea implemented is the next level of challenge.

Have fun playing with these ideas amongst the 'pro' group and I think you will, collectively, bring your desires closer to fulfilment. 

The only thing needed is an API, nothing more. No bloated code, no worries, just 2 or 3 API calls. Plugins will do the rest.

First off, it's not all about you. Second, saying "[it] goes against the ST minimalistic aesthetic by introducing the kind of visual clutter that Jon has set out to avoid in building ST" is an assumption.

We're not asking for a default icon set. We're not asking Jon to provide a default icon set. We're asking for an easy way for themes / plugins to place an icon next to the files and folders. Most of us want this for Git (or other SCM) badges.

This is not just icons in files thing. It's about usability for many people and it should be an option. But it's more than that. You could have state icons for linted files, status of git/svn, remote file indication, ..