Very Import-ant (Fast, Customizable Auto-Imports)

Existing Python language server extensions (e.g. Pylance) implement auto-importing fairly well, but with a few notable drawbacks:

1. The auto-import functionality requires the language server to create a drop-down, which occasionally takes a while to load (frequently it would have been quicker for a user to navigate to the top of the file and just add the import line manually).

2. The user has to accept a selection from the drop-down, which is an interruption to the typing flow (albeit a somewhat small one, but one nonetheless).

3. Most (all?) of the existing Python language server extensions for VS Code (specifically Pylance) don't allow customizing auto-import aliases. Instead they only support a fixed set of ones (e.g. pd for pandas, np for numpy, etc.).

4. Existing Python language server extensions only allow you to auto-import as you are typing. They currently do not automatically fix known undefined variables elsewhere in the file. No existing formatters appear to fully support this either.

This extension aims to solve all of the above problems by providing functionality to automatically add imports while you are typing and without any interruption to your development flow.

Examples

Add type annotation imports as you type

Add libraries as you type

Add imports on file save

Setup

1. Install this extension

2. Add the following to your settings.json:

   {
   
     // Setting to enable this formatter
     "very-import-ant.format.enable": true,
   
     // If editor.formatOnType is true, these characters will be all characters
     // that trigger an import check/addition. It is recommended to make this
     // whitespace characters + the last letters of all imported variables
     // in the autoImports.variables setting (see below).
     "very-import-ant.onTypeTriggerCharacters": "\n \tdprt",
   
     // Python settings
     "[python]": {
       "editor.defaultFormatter": "groogle.very-import-ant",
   
       // If you want the imports to be added as you type
       "editor.formatOnType": true,
       // If you want the imports to be added only when you save the file
       "editor.formatOnSave": true,
       // If you want the imports to be added whenever you paste something into your editor
       "editor.formatOnPaste": true,
     },
   
     // Notebook settings
     "notebook.defaultFormatter": "groogle.very-import-ant",
     "notebook.formatOnCellExecution": true,
     "notebook.formatOnSave.enabled": true,
   
     // Add the following setting if you want to specify your own list
     // of auto-import variables.
     // The ones listed below are all included by default.
     "very-import-ant.autoImports": [
       {
         "variable": "pd",
         "import": "import pandas as pd"
       },
       {
         "variable": "np",
         "import": "import numpy as np"
       },
       {
         "variable": "xr",
         "import": "import xarray as xr"
       },
       {
         "variable": "xrt",
         "import": "from xarray import testing as xrt"
       },
       {
         "variable": "Any",
         "import": "from typing import Any"
       },
       {
         "variable": "Callable",
         "import": "from typing import Callable"
       },
       {
         "variable": "Dict",
         "import": "from typing import Dict"
       },
       {
         "variable": "List",
         "import": "from typing import List"
       },
       {
         "variable": "Union",
         "import": "from typing import Union"
       },
       {
         "variable": "Optional",
         "import": "from typing import Optional"
       },
     ],
   }
   

3. [Only relevant if editor.formatOnType is true]: Ensure Pylance doesn't hijack on-type formatting by following the instructions here.

Using with Other Formatters

While this extension is a technically a formatter extension, it really only does one thing. In order to use this extension in conjunction with another formatter use the Multiple Formatters Extension.

Troubleshooting

See the troubleshooting doc for info on known issues and fixes.

Contribute

Feel free to open issues or pull requests, and I'll do my best to respond in a timely manner.

Appreciate

I find it very rewarding to know that my projects made someone's day or developer life a little better. If you feel so inclined, leave a review or buy my a coffee so I know my project helped you out!