alphabetize

Alphabetize

Alphabetize finds grouped lines of variables within your files and orders them alphabetically. This is useful for cleaning up codebases.

The organisation priority is:

1. independent variables
2. dependent variables

The variable 'a' is ordered last as it depends on the other variables.

b = 10
c = 20
d = 40
a = b + c + d

UPPERCASE and lowercase variables are separated when ordered.

A = 10
B = 20
C = 30
a = 10
b = 20
c = 30

Installation

pip install alphabetize

Usage

alphabetize myfile.py
alphabetize path/to/myfile.py

The provided argument can either be the relative path or absolute path to a Python file.

Examples

Example 1 - single use

Consider the following Python script (unordered_code.py)

import datetime
from time import time

# First Variable Block
c_variable = 60
A_variable = 10
a_variable = 40
B_variable = 20
b_variable = 50
C_variable = 30


class TestClass:
    def __init__(self):
        self.c_variable = 30
        self.a_variable = 10
        self.b_variable = 20


def test_function():
    c_variable = time()
    a_variable = 10
    b_variable = datetime
    a_list = [a_variable, b_variable, c_variable]
    bb_variable = 20
    aa_variable = 10
    cc_variable = aa_variable + bb_variable

    return a_list, cc_variable
    

Calling:

alphabetize unordered_code.py

Results in the following output:

import datetime
from time import time

# First Variable Block
A_variable = 10
B_variable = 20
C_variable = 30
a_variable = 40
b_variable = 50
c_variable = 60


class TestClass:
    def __init__(self):
        self.a_variable = 10
        self.b_variable = 20
        self.c_variable = 30


def test_function():
    a_variable = 10
    b_variable = datetime
    c_variable = time()
    a_list = [a_variable, b_variable, c_variable]
    aa_variable = 10
    bb_variable = 20
    cc_variable = aa_variable + bb_variable

    return a_list, cc_variable
    

Example 2 - multiple uses

Depending on the variable names found within grouped lines, alphabetize can be called multiple times to further reorder the grouped lines of variables.

This particularly comes into play when independent and dependent variables are mixed within the same grouped lines block.

Consider the following Python script (unordered_code_multi.py)

def test_function():
    c_variable = 30
    a_variable = 10
    b_variable = 20
    list = [a_variable, b_variable, c_variable]
    bb_variable = 20
    aa_variable = 10
    cc_variable = aa_variable + bb_variable

    return list, cc_variable
    

Calling alphabetize unordered_code_multi.py for the first time produces:

def test_function():
    a_variable = 10
    b_variable = 20
    c_variable = 30
    aa_variable = 10
    bb_variable = 20
    list = [a_variable, b_variable, c_variable]
    cc_variable = aa_variable + bb_variable

    return list, cc_variable

Then calling alphabetize unordered_code_multi.py a second time produces a further ordered file:

def test_function():
    a_variable = 10
    aa_variable = 10
    b_variable = 20
    bb_variable = 20
    c_variable = 30
    cc_variable = aa_variable + bb_variable
    list = [a_variable, b_variable, c_variable]

    return list, cc_variable

Recommended Running

When using alphabetize it is recommended that you lint and format your files in the following order:

1. flake8 is a wrapper around the tools:
   1. Pyflakes
   2. pycodestyle
   3. Ned Batchelder's McCabe script
2. vulture finds unused code in Python programs.
3. alphabetize finds and orders variables within files

It is recommended to run alphabetize a second time to catch any caught dependent variables. Then a further flake8 to ensure your file is formatted and adheres to PEP8 correctly.