Messages window replaced by "build output" window - how to get it back?

Is it a gradle project? If the project is Gradle-based and you have Gradle set for Settings (Preferences on macOS) | Build, Execution, Deployment | Build Tools | Gradle | Build and run using - IDE displays output of Gradle build in Build tool window - the same way if you would build by Gradle from command line.

This is a Maven project but is built using InteliJ's internal build process (I do not start Maven, I have imported the project once and now use Build -> Build Project to build it).

Do you use 2020.2 EAP? Indeed Messages tool window has been deprecated. Now all compilation information is shown in unified Build tool window. It shows the same information from JPS (IDE's own builder) and even more, including sequence of build steps that were executed.

To disable new unified tool window you can by disabling the ide.jps.use.build.tool.window registry option. But the Messages tool window will no longer be supported as we plan to continue enhancing the Build tool window.

>- It shows a big panel of useless information on the right (apparently the compilation steps taken that are usually shown as part of the tasks progress bar)

Is it not convenient for you?

>- It has no line numbers in the messages

Filled the https://youtrack.jetbrains.com/issue/IDEA-242897 request. Thanks.

>- it is not convenient for you

It is not, it is a large distracting blob of information that adds nothing to what I am trying to accomplish (just compiling code). By itself this is just busy and ugly, but at least you can move it away by reducing its size to zero (you only see the icons at the right still, but those are easily ignored).

The line number thing is a big problem for me, thank you for creating the request - I hope it gets fixed. With that and the ability to remove that useless blob I can live with Messages' demise.

Thanks for your help!

Regards,

Frits

I now also notice that it shows some history of failed builds; another thing that is completely useless. What is worse, if you misclick and click an earlier build you see the messages of that earlier build which can really confuse the hell out of you.

This is a typical case, in my opinion, where more information is just more, without any use. The goal here is to make a build succeed. Not to have a history of failure over time.

Thank you for feedback. I have re-posted it in YouTrack request: https://youtrack.jetbrains.com/issue/IDEA-206108

You can provide your feedback directly by YouTrack issues about certain aspects you find inconvenient. It will be easier to act on it. Thank you in advance.

Wow, another instance of how this IDE sucks more and more. What was the reason to "deprecate" a fully functional thing and replace it with garbage? 

To go from one to the next build error, I have to click at least twice (first time to expand a file in the tree and second time on some child, and this often does not work).

IDEA sucks big time.

Hi @... - thanks for the feedback.

>To go from one to the next build error, I have to click at least twice (first time to expand a file in the tree and second time on some child, and this often does not work)

We have a feature request to add an 'Expand all' button to all tool windows that don't have it: IDEA-90984. It is essentially a cumulative issue for all similar requests, and also part of an internal task aimed to enhance the code in order to support new UI features, which is currently in progress. I added your feedback there.

As a workaround at the moment you can either

• Click on the build topmost node and hit the Num* key to expand all entries at once (Num- to collapse them) [Windows]
• Use Ctrl+Alt+Up/Down (Meta+Alt+Up/Down on Mac) shortcuts to jump between found problems (each problem will be shown in the editor)

Thank you for your reply.

I guess one good thing from this is me learning the keyboard shortcuts for next/previous problem 😜

It would be great if just clicking on a node for a file itself would open that file. I don't understand why I have to expand it and click on individual error. Individual errors are not really important, what I want is to go to that file so I can fix all errors. I am not interested in deciphering the rrore from the build tool window, because the editor will show it much more clearly. The "deprecated" messages tool window used to work like that.

@Alamothe thank you for your feedback, it makes sense. I've communicated it to the team.

I see where you're coming from. I guess the idea is to "unify" all the tool windows to show a tree in a smaller section on the left, and text on the right. 

I don't think this idea is very good. 

For Gradle output, I only want to see text. I don't want you to split this text into a tree for me, it's annoying, useless and counter-intuitive.

For IDEA output, I don't want to see any text whatsoever. `Adding @NotNull assertions... [RideMyCar.main]`... how is that useful? Well, maybe if you're debugging your compiler, sure...

I only want to see a list of errors from all files. I do not want to expand/collapse single files, just show me all the errors.

Take notes from Visual Studio Code, they did it right.

Dear all, thank you for improving the usability of the new build output window.I have also been confused by the sudden replacement of a window which has worked fine for years (it's more a speed/habit/productivity issue).

In particular I miss/dislike:

- useless internal build messages as reported by Frits

- no way to quickly expand all messages (do I really have to double click them)

- no way to switch to the "raw text output"

And as a bonus: when focusing to the editor, the shortcut to go to the next issues does not work anymore (it never did, but would be so helpful!)

Thank you.

I think it is more of a confusion. The maven output window is there but by default (at least in my case) it was hidden. Thanks for this page I have realized it is still there.

To display the output window (if hidden) you should drag the vertical scroll bar (see arrow in print screen) of build tool window to the left of the screen.

The result:

I think it can be a good idea for JetBrains not to have the maven output window hidden by default.

Jason Domatilia

The original post was about the 'Build Output' tab in the Build tool window.

Try restarting the IDE using the File | Invalidate Caches & Restart menu option, and then resetting the Run tool window layout: