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!!! Finally !!!
Took a year to find this! Holy smokes what a utterly massive impact, seriously cannot overstate the problem the default of hiding the editor type was having.
I created an account for the express purpose of documenting on this specific thread for anyone else looking for a fix. This is a complete fix to the default “hide editor type” setting. As stated you go one by one through all layouts, enable the editor type button, then once you feel all your layouts are conforming to you production default needs save as the factory defaults. On next load for all editors you’ve enabled editor type selection you’ll see the drop down button for it.
Problem solved!
Some background on the problem;
For hobbyist or casual use, or for those new to 3d, the concept of layout spaces and focused work context is very helpful as guiding guardrails to make sense of working in a 3d universe, it helps to orient the innumerable contexts a user has to operate in. The amount of distracting under the hood complexity going on in a 3d scene which can easily be meandered into by adding new windows and editors all over the place can be bewildering and frustrating. In short the user friendly sandbox concept of being in a specific layout workspace for a specific part of the workflow is both helpful and through practice make a 3d artist be a better artist by enforcing good habits. So it makes sense to obscure the path to revealing editors which quickly results in a rats nets of a chaotic layout.
However having said that the problem starts when you using BFA for technical direction/simulation/coding/advanced rigging
These are very advanced and complex workflows. Specifically as it relates to the editor type the issue props up frequently ( extremely frequently! ) when working in any arbitrary layout in any of the arbitrary contexts, ( uv mapping, animation, model etc ) It is often the case that while working in one context the TD will need access to related/parallel data about an object, often animation ie. over time, from completely different contexts in ways that don’t fit the idea of a workspace with one focus. A common example for instance is an animated texture or composite output that ties to animation, you’re often in shader layout, but you need a way to scrub animation, or even see keyframes without leaving the shading preview viewport by going to a different layout.
Examples like this happen a lot !! Imagine evetime having to either drag in a new window, adjust window to fit, then change it to the editor you need, then having to use blenders janky remove pane function and resize and fix your windows or if you want to stay with windows in place as is, having to click on the editor to unhide the editor type, then select your editor. Then having to do this with every new program launch. Huge pointless clicking. And often surprise, as creating a new window editor types are enabled, in the middle of work you constantly run into mystery of “hey why can’t I change this particular editor? Oh right,… cause its one of the default editors for this layout”, then repeating the above steps evetime.
In short, from the pov of using BFA more for heavy lifting technical production, while layouts are a great concept and practice, advanced users need a way of temporarily, quickly, which minimal obstruction or surprises, be able to change editor types as needed on the fly, while still retaining the core philosophy of working in layout contexts for the most part.
Ideally revealing a default to the hide editor type in preferences for advanced users would be great ( hide on by default ) Otherwise this workflow of setting layout defaults also works.