#203 Added explanation to empty dashboard

package.json

@@ -65,6 +65,12 @@
 				}
 			]
 		},
+		"viewsWelcome": [
+			{
+				"view": "liberty-dev",
+				"contents": "%views.welcome.message%"
+			}
+		],
 		"commands": [
 			{
 				"command": "liberty.dev.show.commands",

package.nls.json

@@ -12,5 +12,6 @@
     "commands.title.view.test.report": "View test report",
     "commands.title.add.project": "Add project to Liberty Dashboard",
     "commands.title.remove.project": "Remove project from Liberty Dashboard",
-    "commands.title.show.commands": "Show Liberty commands"
+    "commands.title.show.commands": "Show Liberty commands",
+    "views.welcome.message":" \n 1. If no projects are open in the VS Code Explorer, open or create a Liberty project using the File menu. \n 2. If there is one or more existing Maven or Gradle projects open in the VS Code Explorer, try one of the following: \n -Configure the Liberty build plugin in the build file of an existing Maven or Gradle project.\n - Add a server.xml file to an existing Maven or Gradle project at “src/main/liberty/config”.\n - Manually add an existing Maven or Gradle project to the Liberty Dashboard through the VS Code command palette action “Liberty: Add project to Liberty Dashboard”. "
 }

src/liberty/libertyProject.ts

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import { EXCLUDED_DIR_PATTERN, LIBERTY_GRADLE_PROJECT, LIBERTY_GRADLE_PROJECT_CO
 import { BuildFileImpl, GradleBuildFile } from "../util/buildFile";
 import { DashboardData } from "./dashboard";
 import { BaseLibertyProject } from "./baseLibertyProject";
+import path = require("path");
 
 const MAVEN_ICON = "maven-tag.png";
 const GRADLE_ICON = "gradle-tag-1.png";
@@ -213,6 +214,10 @@ export class ProjectProvider implements vscode.TreeDataProvider<LibertyProject>
 
 	// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unused-vars
 	public async getChildren(element?: LibertyProject): Promise<LibertyProject[]> {
+
+		if (this.projects.size <= 0 ) {
+            return Promise.resolve([]);
+        }
 		if (vscode.workspace.workspaceFolders === undefined) {
 			vscode.window.showInformationMessage(localize("no.liberty.project.found.in.empty.workspace"));
 			return [];