Intention actions

Introduction

MPS helps you handle the situations when you use classes that haven't been imported, or methods that haven't been written, which can result in errors. When a possible problem is suspected, MPS suggests a solution, and in certain cases can implement this solution (properly assign variables, create missing references and more). Besides syntax problems, MPS recognizes code constructs that can be optimized or improved, and suggests appropriate intention actions, denoted with the special icons.

Intention action icons

Intention action types

Find descriptions of specific intention actions on the Intentions page of the editor settings/preferences, where they are grouped according to the areas of their usage. Generally, intention actions can be divided into several categories, for example:

Create from usage

This type of intention action creates new code items: classes, methods, and so on. They are smart enough to analyze your code and provide actions suitable for a particular case. The main concept behind this type is that you can begin using new things without declaring them first. You are not taken away from your current task for mundane minutiae like creating declarations, new files, and so on. which MPS handles while you keep focused.

Quick fixes

This type of intention action responds to common coding mistakes: using an improper access modifier, or an expression of the wrong type, or missing resources, and so on. MPS catches these kinds of problems as you type, and provides a quick way to fix them using Intentions Actions with appropriate suggestions for the error.

Micro-refactorings

These intention actions appear for code that is syntactically correct, but can be structurally improved by such things as:

• Converting code constructs.

  • Splitting declarations and assignments.

  • Splitting or merging statements and tags, and so on.