PythonStatusBarShowSymbol

A persistent breadcrumb in the Sublime Text status bar that tells you which Python class or function the cursor is currently in.

| class HttpClient › def request |

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Why the pipes

Sublime appends the value of a set_status() key inside the native status group:

[UTF-8 (CRLF) | class HttpClient › def request |], 3 matches

Without a visible boundary the scope path blends into the encoding and match count next to it. | … | is the default frame; [ … ], | [ … ] | and no frame at all are also available.

The old version of this plugin printed --------------------->class test-->def testFunc as a transient message: it replaced the whole status bar, disappeared after a few seconds, and, since ST3, the nesting chain had silently broken — only the innermost symbol was ever shown. This version rebuilds the display, the algorithm and the navigation.

Features

• Persistent status item. Uses view.set_status() instead of sublime.status_message(), so it sits alongside the encoding and syntax items instead of overwriting them, and never fades away.
• Full nesting chain. class, def and async def are all recognised. The chain is derived from the indentation of the source lines, so blank lines and comment lines still resolve to the correct scope.
• Type prefixes. class HttpClient › def request, async def fetch.
• Configurable frame and separator, four frame styles.
• Three layouts. Breadcrumb, dotted and plain.
• Jump history. Records where you left when the scope changes, with back/forward navigation.
• Python only. Other languages are left alone.

Installation

Copy this directory into your Sublime Text Packages folder:

Data/Packages/PythonStautsBarShowSymbol/

No Package Control needed. Restart Sublime Text afterwards.

The directory name keeps an early misspelling (Stauts). Renaming it would also change the settings filename, user config overrides and the published URL, so it stays as is — install using the actual directory name.

Settings

Preferences > Settings - User > PythonStautsBarShowSymbol.sublime-settings

Output examples

Default (no file name, with type prefixes, pipe frame):

| class HttpClient › def request |

With show_file enabled:

| utils/http.py › class HttpClient › def request |

Layouts:

Frames:

Bracket-style frames (bracket, angle) sit tight against the content; separator-style frames (pipe, both) keep a space inside.

When the cursor is at module level there is no enclosing symbol, so the status item is removed entirely (nothing to show).

Commands

All commands are available from the Command Palette.

A context menu entry (Python Symbol Path) offers the same actions.

How it works

• Positions come from the API, kind and indentation from the source line. view.get_symbols() returns the symbol name ("testFunc"), not the source line. Computing indentation from it always yields 0, which is why the nesting chain silently broke after ST3. This version uses the symbol API only for positions (symbol_regions(), falling back to get_symbols()) and reads the kind and indentation from the symbol's own source line.
• The symbol table is cached under (change_count, size, syntax). change_count alone is not enough: finishing a file load does not bump it, so an empty symbol table cached on on_load would never be invalidated. (Sublime also does not fire on_selection_modified for programmatic selection changes, so a refresh is scheduled after load, and _place_cursor refreshes the status item itself and re-syncs the current context after a jump.)
• Navigation uses the official API. open_file(path + ":row:col", sublime.ENCODED_POSITION) opens and positions in one call, with no need to hook on_load callbacks.
• The package ships a .python-version file, so the plugin runs on the modern Python host (3.14 on current builds) while the code itself stays compatible with Python 3.3 syntax.

Compatibility

Sublime Text 3 and 4. Developed and verified on Sublime Text build 4215 (Windows).

Support

https://scriptkitz.github.io/PythonStautsBarShowSymbol/donate.html