[platform-debug-dev] Suppress requests from "Variables" view when not sh

[boxall@xxxxxxxxxx]

The basic problem is that it is very expensive for engines to refresh the
local variables.    Because the "Variables" view calls
"IStackFrame.getVariables()" even when not shown it causes the debug
engines to have to monitor the locals even when the user can't see them.

We have a specific case where the debug engine is unusable because of the
number of variables that are considered local.   Some 390 COBOL programs
can have 10,000-20,000 "local" variables.

The behaviour I see at this point is that if the "Variables" view is closed
it will stop requesting variables.   But as long as it is open (visible or
not) it asks for the variables.

I would like to see the "Variable" view make a call when it goes from
visible to hidden.   This would allow me to stop the engine monitoring
variables.   When the "Variables" view becomes visible it could simply call
"getVariables()" and my plugin would start the engine monitoring them
again.

Alan Boxall - IBM Distributed Debugger