Sort Imports not working

[cbrnr]

Type: Bug

Behaviour

Expected vs. Actual

The "Sort Imports" command in the context menu and the related command in the palette "Python Refactor: Sort Imports" should sort Python imports. However, these commands have no effect if the ms-python.isort extension is not installed as well.

The output panel contains the following message: Sort Imports: Please install and enable ms-python.isort extension to use this feature.

From a usability perspective, this behavior is not ideal. IMO, there are three solutions:

1. Install the isort extension automatically with the Python extension.
2. Disable the command until isort is installed
3. Display an error message when running the Sort Imports command when isort is not available.

Steps to reproduce:

1. From a clean Visual Studio Code environment, install the Python extension.
2. Create a Python script with the following content:

   import math
   import abc
   
   print("Hello")

3. Right-click anywhere in the script and select "Sort Imports" – nothing happens.
4. Run "Python Refactor: Sort Imports" from the command palette – nothing happens.

Diagnostic data

• Python version (& distribution if applicable, e.g. Anaconda): 3.11.5
• Type of virtual environment used (e.g. conda, venv, virtualenv, etc.): Global
• Value of the python.languageServer setting: Default

Output for Python in the Output panel (View→Output, change the drop-down the upper-right of the Output panel to Python)

2023-10-04 09:12:23.030 [info] Telemetry level is off
2023-10-04 09:12:23.030 [info] Experiments are disabled, only manually opted experiments are active.
2023-10-04 09:12:23.030 [info] Test server listening.
2023-10-04 09:12:23.030 [info] Python interpreter path: /usr/local/bin/python3
2023-10-04 09:12:23.135 [warning] Retry failed, storage update failed for key PYTHON_WORKSPACE_STORAGE_KEYS
2023-10-04 09:12:23.135 [warning] Retry failed, storage update failed for key PYTHON_WORKSPACE_STORAGE_KEYS
2023-10-04 09:12:23.483 [info] > conda info --json
2023-10-04 09:12:23.487 [info] > ~/.conda/bin/conda info --json
2023-10-04 09:12:23.491 [info] > ~/Library/r-miniconda-arm64/bin/conda info --json
2023-10-04 09:12:24.246 [info] Starting Pylance language server.
2023-10-04 09:12:38.151 [info] Telemetry level is off
2023-10-04 09:12:38.151 [info] Experiments are disabled, only manually opted experiments are active.
2023-10-04 09:12:38.198 [info] Test server listening.
2023-10-04 09:12:38.200 [info] Python interpreter path: /usr/local/bin/python3
2023-10-04 09:12:38.624 [info] > conda info --json
2023-10-04 09:12:38.641 [info] > ~/.conda/bin/conda info --json
2023-10-04 09:12:38.653 [info] > ~/Library/r-miniconda-arm64/bin/conda info --json
2023-10-04 09:12:39.390 [info] Starting Pylance language server.
2023-10-04 09:12:49.564 [info] Sort Imports: Please install and enable `ms-python.isort` extension to use this feature.
2023-10-04 09:13:37.135 [info] Sort Imports: Please install and enable `ms-python.isort` extension to use this feature.
2023-10-04 09:15:04.092 [info] Telemetry level is off
2023-10-04 09:15:04.093 [info] Experiments are disabled, only manually opted experiments are active.
2023-10-04 09:15:04.117 [info] Test server listening.
2023-10-04 09:15:04.168 [info] Python interpreter path: /usr/local/bin/python3
2023-10-04 09:15:04.562 [info] > conda info --json
2023-10-04 09:15:04.578 [info] > ~/.conda/bin/conda info --json
2023-10-04 09:15:04.583 [info] > ~/Library/r-miniconda-arm64/bin/conda info --json
2023-10-04 09:15:05.326 [info] Starting Pylance language server.
2023-10-04 09:15:40.936 [info] Sort Imports: Please install and enable `ms-python.isort` extension to use this feature.
2023-10-04 09:21:09.476 [info] Sort Imports: Please install and enable `ms-python.isort` extension to use this feature.
2023-10-04 09:21:29.030 [info] Telemetry level is off
2023-10-04 09:21:29.030 [info] Experiments are disabled, only manually opted experiments are active.
2023-10-04 09:21:29.096 [info] Test server listening.
2023-10-04 09:21:29.098 [info] Python interpreter path: /usr/local/bin/python3
2023-10-04 09:21:29.466 [info] > conda info --json
2023-10-04 09:21:29.484 [info] > ~/.conda/bin/conda info --json
2023-10-04 09:21:29.488 [info] > ~/Library/r-miniconda-arm64/bin/conda info --json
2023-10-04 09:21:30.233 [info] Starting Pylance language server.
2023-10-04 09:22:50.005 [info] Telemetry level is off
2023-10-04 09:22:50.005 [info] Experiments are disabled, only manually opted experiments are active.
2023-10-04 09:22:50.015 [info] Test server listening.
2023-10-04 09:22:50.016 [info] Python interpreter path: /usr/local/bin/python3
2023-10-04 09:22:51.194 [info] Starting Pylance language server.
2023-10-04 09:23:03.370 [info] Sort Imports: Please install and enable `ms-python.isort` extension to use this feature.
2023-10-04 09:23:06.376 [info] Sort Imports: Please install and enable `ms-python.isort` extension to use this feature.
2023-10-04 09:23:13.845 [info] Sort Imports: Please install and enable `ms-python.isort` extension to use this feature.

User Settings

languageServer: "Pylance"

testing
• pytestEnabled: true

terminal
• activateEnvironment: false

Extension version: 2023.16.0
VS Code version: Code 1.82.3 (fdb98833154679dbaa7af67a5a29fe19e55c2b73, 2023-10-02T11:09:17.749Z)
OS version: Darwin arm64 23.0.0
Modes:

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	Apple M2 Pro (12 x 24)
GPU Status	2d_canvas: enabled canvas_oop_rasterization: enabled_on direct_rendering_display_compositor: disabled_off_ok gpu_compositing: enabled multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on opengl: enabled_on rasterization: enabled raw_draw: disabled_off_ok video_decode: enabled video_encode: enabled vulkan: disabled_off webgl: enabled webgl2: enabled webgpu: enabled
Load (avg)	1, 1, 1
Memory (System)	32.00GB (0.65GB free)
Process Argv
Screen Reader	no
VM	0%

[karthiknadig]

Install the isort extension automatically with the Python extension.

We used to do this. Most people don't use isort, and we got feedback to remove this as an extension dependency.

Disable the command until isort is installed
Display an error message when running the Sort Imports command when isort is not available.

We will be removing this command entirely as there are more import sorting solutions now available as extensions. See, ruff for example.

[extrange]

Out of curiousity what other import sorting solutions are available? black has declared they will not be sorting imports, which leaves isort as the de facto import sorting tool.

If that is so, then including isort as an extension dependency might reduce the number of additional extensions to manually install/declare in a devcontainer.json.

[cbrnr]

ruff can sort imports.

[karthiknadig]

Use this extension: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=charliermarsh.ruff
/cc @charliermarsh

[cbrnr]

@karthiknadig when is the removal of the command scheduled? It's a bit confusing, especially for people just starting with Python and Visual Studio Code.

[karthiknadig]

This is scheduled for the october milestone.

[01000101]

Could someone please provide the steps to re-enable the isort functionality? Even with isort installed, the previous menu item is missing.

[karthiknadig]

@01000101 That command will be removed. Use this instead:

[starball5]

Related on Stack Overflow: VS Code stopped resolving all python imports and Sort Imports option not available

[karthiknadig]

Verification Steps:

1. Have latest pre-release version of python extension
2. Open a python file.
3. The editor context menu should not have Sort Imports command.