Python Paste Pro is a Visual Studio Code extension that enhances paste and cut operations in Python files by ensuring proper indentation based on context.
Features
Smart Paste: Automatically adjusts the indentation of pasted code to align with the cursor's context or selected text. It preserves relative indentation when present and attempts to reconstruct it when lost.
Smart Cut: Cuts selected text and, if the cut ends with a colon (e.g., if condition:), dedents the subsequent code block to maintain proper structure.
Indentation Normalization: Ensures pasted indentation matches your editor’s settings (tabs vs. spaces) for consistency.
Context-Aware Indentation: Calculates the correct indentation level based on the current or previous line (e.g., increasing indentation after a colon).
Installation
To install Python Paste Pro, follow these steps:
Open Visual Studio Code.
Navigate to the Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X or Cmd+Shift+X on macOS).
Search for "Python Paste Pro".
Click Install to add it to your VSCode environment.
Alternatively, download the .vsix file from the VSCode Marketplace and install it manually.
Usage
Smart Paste
Copy a Python code snippet to your clipboard.
Position your cursor in a Python file or select text to replace.
Press Ctrl+V (or Cmd+V on macOS), and the extension will adjust the pasted code’s indentation automatically.
Preserved Indentation: If the snippet has indentation, it’s adjusted relative to the cursor’s base level.
Reconstructed Indentation: If indentation is lost (e.g., def func():\npass), the extension indents based on code structure (e.g., after colons).
Smart Cut
Select text in a Python file.
Press Ctrl+X (or Cmd+X on macOS).
If the cut text ends with a colon (e.g., for item in list:), the following block is dedented to maintain proper formatting.
Commands
The extension hooks into standard VSCode commands for Python files:
pythonPastePro.paste: Triggers the smart paste feature.
pythonPastePro.cut: Triggers the smart cut feature.
These are automatically activated with Ctrl+V/Ctrl+X (or macOS equivalents) in .py files.
Limitations
Indentation Reconstruction: For code with lost indentation, the extension uses simple rules (e.g., indenting after colons). Complex cases (nested blocks, multi-line statements) might require manual tweaks.
Performance: Optimized for small to medium snippets; very large code blocks may cause a slight delay.
Language Scope: Works only with Python files and does not affect other languages.
Contributing
Found a bug or have an idea? Please open an issue on GitHub. Pull requests are also welcome!
