Fixing Custom Explorer Sort In VS Code Multi-Root Workspaces

Are you a Visual Studio Code (VS Code) user who juggles multiple projects within a single workspace? If so, you've likely encountered the power of multi-root workspaces. This fantastic feature allows you to work on several projects simultaneously, streamlining your workflow and boosting productivity. However, like any powerful tool, multi-root workspaces can present unique challenges. One such challenge arises when trying to customize the file explorer sort order using extensions like Custom Explorer Sort. In this article, we'll dive into the issue of incompatibility between multi-root workspaces and custom explorer sorting, explore the problem in detail, and discuss potential solutions to ensure your files are always organized just the way you like them.

Understanding the Multi-Root Workspace Challenge

First, let's clarify what we mean by "multi-root workspaces." In VS Code, a multi-root workspace is a setup where you open more than one project folder within the same VS Code window. This is incredibly useful when your projects have dependencies or are logically connected. For example, you might have a front-end application, a back-end API, and a shared library all open in the same workspace.

The challenge arises when you want to apply custom sorting to the file explorer. Extensions like Custom Explorer Sort rely on .order files to define the desired order of files and folders. Ideally, you'd expect these .order files to work consistently across all the root folders in your multi-root workspace. However, the reality can be different. Often, the .order file is only respected in the first workspace folder, leaving the other folders unsorted and potentially chaotic.

The Core Issue: Scope of .order Files

The primary issue lies in how VS Code and the Custom Explorer Sort extension handle the scope of .order files within a multi-root workspace. Currently, the extension may not be correctly recognizing and applying the .order files in each individual root folder. This means that while your first project folder might be perfectly sorted according to your .order file, the other folders revert to the default sorting behavior, which can be frustrating and counterproductive.

Real-World Frustrations

Imagine you're working on a large project with multiple modules, each in its own root folder within your workspace. You've meticulously created .order files for each module to keep things organized. However, only the first module sorts correctly. The others display files in a seemingly random order, making it difficult to find what you need quickly. This not only slows you down but can also increase the risk of errors as you struggle to navigate the unsorted files.

Diving Deep into Custom Explorer Sort

Let's explore Custom Explorer Sort. It's a VS Code extension that allows you to define a custom order for files and folders in the Explorer view. Instead of relying on the default alphabetical sorting, you can specify the exact order in which you want your files to appear. This is particularly useful for projects where the file structure has a logical order that isn't alphabetical, or when you want to prioritize certain files and folders for quick access.

How Custom Explorer Sort Works

Custom Explorer Sort works by reading .order files placed in your project directories. These files contain a list of file and folder names, each on a new line, in the order you want them to appear in the Explorer view. The extension then uses this information to override the default sorting behavior and display your files in the specified order.

For example, your .order file might look like this:

src/
docs/
README.md
LICENSE

In this case, the src and docs directories would appear at the top, followed by the README.md and LICENSE files. This level of control over the file explorer's appearance can significantly improve your workflow, especially in large projects with complex directory structures.

The Appeal of Custom Sorting

The appeal of custom sorting is clear: it allows you to tailor your development environment to match your mental model of the project. By organizing files and folders in a way that makes sense to you, you can reduce cognitive load, find files faster, and generally be more productive. However, the incompatibility with multi-root workspaces undermines this benefit, forcing you to choose between the convenience of multi-root workspaces and the organization of custom sorting.

The Multi-Root Workspace Sorting Dilemma

The core issue of custom sorting incompatibility within multi-root workspaces can be distilled to how VS Code and the Custom Explorer Sort extension handle the scope and application of .order files across multiple root folders. When working within a multi-root workspace, VS Code essentially treats each root folder as a separate entity, to some extent. This design, while beneficial for project isolation, poses challenges for extensions that need to operate uniformly across the entire workspace.

Scoping Issues with .order Files

The primary problem lies in the scoping of the .order files. Ideally, each root folder within a multi-root workspace should have its own .order file, and the Custom Explorer Sort extension should apply these files independently to their respective folders. However, in practice, the extension often prioritizes or exclusively recognizes the .order file in the first root folder. This results in inconsistent sorting across the workspace, where only the first folder adheres to the custom order, while the remaining folders fall back to the default sorting behavior.

The "Apply Order Now" Command's Limited Reach

Another aspect of the dilemma is the behavior of the "Custom Explorer Sort: Apply Order Now" command. This command is designed to manually trigger the sorting process based on the .order files. However, within a multi-root workspace, this command often only affects the first root folder, mirroring the issue with the automatic application of .order files. This limitation further exacerbates the inconsistency, as users cannot even manually enforce the desired sorting in the other root folders.

The Result: A Fragmented Experience

The end result is a fragmented and frustrating experience for developers. They are forced to navigate an inconsistent file structure, where some parts of their workspace are neatly organized while others are chaotic. This not only reduces productivity but also increases the likelihood of errors and missteps, as developers spend more time searching for files and less time focusing on their code.

Potential Solutions and Workarounds

Addressing the incompatibility between multi-root workspaces and Custom Explorer Sort requires a multi-faceted approach. While the ideal solution would be a direct update to the extension or VS Code itself, several workarounds and potential solutions can mitigate the issue in the meantime.

Feature Requests and Extension Updates

The most direct solution is to advocate for changes within the Custom Explorer Sort extension itself. This can be done by submitting feature requests to the extension's developers, detailing the multi-root workspace issue and suggesting a solution. For example, one suggested solution is to implement an array setting within the .code-workspace file, allowing users to specify different .order files for each root folder. This would provide a centralized and standardized way to manage custom sorting across the entire workspace.

Extension developers can address the multi-root workspace issue by:

• Enhancing .order File Recognition: The extension should be updated to recognize and apply .order files in each root folder of a multi-root workspace, not just the first one.
• Improving the "Apply Order Now" Command: The command should be modified to apply the sorting to all root folders, ensuring a consistent experience across the workspace.
• Workspace Configuration: Consider reading a configuration from the .code-workspace file to define specific settings for each root folder, including the path to its .order file.

Manual Workarounds and Alternative Strategies

While waiting for extension updates, several manual workarounds can help improve the situation:

• Consistent Naming Conventions: Adopting a consistent naming convention across all projects can help mitigate the lack of custom sorting. While this won't provide the exact ordering you want, it can make files easier to find.
• File Explorer Search: Utilize VS Code's built-in file explorer search to quickly locate files, bypassing the need to navigate unsorted directories.
• Task-Specific Workspaces: For tasks that require strict file organization, consider opening a single-root workspace temporarily. This allows Custom Explorer Sort to function correctly, but it does break the multi-root workflow.

Leveraging VS Code's Native Features

VS Code offers several native features that can help with file organization and navigation, even without custom sorting:

• File Nesting: VS Code's file nesting feature can group related files together in the explorer, reducing clutter and making it easier to find specific files.
• Workspace Symbols: Use workspace symbols (accessed via Ctrl+Shift+O or Cmd+Shift+O) to quickly jump to specific functions, classes, or variables within your project.
• Go to File: The "Go to File" command (Ctrl+P or Cmd+P) allows you to quickly open files by typing their names, bypassing the need to navigate the file explorer.

Proposed Solutions: A Deeper Dive

To truly solve the multi-root workspace sorting dilemma, we need to explore more robust solutions that address the core issues. Here are a couple of proposed solutions in more detail:

1. Workspace-Specific .order File Paths

One elegant solution is to allow users to specify the path to the .order file for each root folder within the .code-workspace file. This would provide a clear and centralized way to manage custom sorting across the entire workspace. The .code-workspace file could include a new section for custom explorer sort configuration, like this:

{
  "folders": [
    {
      "path": "frontend"
    },
    {
      "path": "backend"
    },
    {
      "path": "shared"
    }
  ],
  "settings": {
    "customExplorerSort.orderFiles": {
      "frontend": ".order-frontend",
      "backend": ".order-backend",
      "shared": ".order-shared"
    }
  }
}

In this example, the customExplorerSort.orderFiles setting maps each root folder's path to its corresponding .order file. The extension would then use these mappings to apply the correct sorting to each folder.

2. Global .order File with Root Folder Prefixes

Another approach is to use a single, global .order file for the entire workspace, but include prefixes for each root folder. This would allow users to manage all their custom sorting in one place, while still maintaining the ability to sort each folder independently. The .order file might look like this:

frontend/src/
frontend/docs/
frontend/README.md
backend/src/
backend/tests/
backend/README.md
shared/utils/
shared/components/
shared/README.md

The extension would then parse this file, identify the prefixes, and apply the sorting rules accordingly. This approach simplifies management but requires careful attention to prefixes to avoid conflicts.

Conclusion: Towards Harmonious Multi-Root Workspaces

The incompatibility between multi-root workspaces and custom explorer sorting is a significant challenge for developers who value both the organizational power of custom sorting and the workflow benefits of multi-root setups. While workarounds and manual strategies can provide temporary relief, the ideal solution lies in updates to the Custom Explorer Sort extension or VS Code itself.

By advocating for improved multi-root support and exploring potential solutions like workspace-specific .order file paths or global .order files with prefixes, we can pave the way for a more harmonious and productive development experience. Until then, developers can leverage the suggested workarounds and VS Code's native features to maintain a semblance of order within their multi-root workspaces.

Remember, staying organized is a key ingredient for efficient coding. Let's continue to push for improvements in our tools so we can focus on what truly matters: building amazing software.

For more information on Visual Studio Code and its features, visit the official VS Code Documentation. ✌️