Documentation for `C_Cpp.codeAnalysis.clangTidy.enabled` in relation to `C_Cpp.codeAnalysis.runAutomatically`

[thernstig]

The documentation for these settings is not possible to understand completely:

  // If `true`, code analysis using `clang-tidy` will be enabled and will run after a file is opened or saved if `C_Cpp.codeAnalysis.runAutomatically` is `true` (the default).
  "C_Cpp.codeAnalysis.clangTidy.enabled": false,

  // If `true`, code analysis will run automatically on a file after it is opened or saved.
  "C_Cpp.codeAnalysis.runAutomatically": true

Open question

Why is C_Cpp.codeAnalysis.clangTidy.enabled even required to have? What happens if it is set to true but C_Cpp.codeAnalysis.runAutomatically is set to false? The problem is that it is not evident what C_Cpp.codeAnalysis.clangTidy.enabled actually does.

Even if C_Cpp.codeAnalysis.clangTidy.enabled is false, it works fine to execute the command C/C++: Run Code Analysis on Active File when having a C file open.

[sean-mcmanus]

You need both settings set in order for it to run clang-tidy "automatically". The clangTidy.enabled settings exists separately in order for there to be other potential <otherLinter>.enabled settings to be added in the future, so if that <otherlinter>.enabled were set to true then it would be run automatically instead of clang-tidy. Having clangTidy.enabled true and runAutomaticaloly false is the same effect as the default (false and true).

[thernstig]

Thanks @sean-mcmanus. Then what about that last sentence?

Even if C_Cpp.codeAnalysis.clangTidy.enabled is false, it works fine to execute the command C/C++: Run Code Analysis on Active File when having a C file open.

Should that not be a no-op then? Consider if you have <otherLinter>.enabled=true then it would be strange if it also ran clang-tidy when clangTidy.enabled=false, no?

Would a better option be that if C/C++: Run Code Analysis on Active File was run and no linter was enabled, it would instead give an error notification popup saying:

There is no C/C++ linter enabled. Please enable one or more linters via C_Cpp.codeAnalysis.<linter-name>.enabled?