Create Python Environment: show a back button and ability to detect user cancellation

[DonJayamanne]

Is it possible to have a back button on the quick pick displayed for env creation.
This way when users go into kernel picker and choose the ability to create a kernel, then they can go back.

Else today when users hit the cancel button there's no way to know the user hit cancel

Suggestions:'

• When command is called from an extension add support for an argument which would indicate whether a back button is required
• If this new argument is prohibited an user hits the back button then throw a CancellationError (vscode error to notify of the cancellation)
• If the user hits cancel and dismisses the quick pick , then do as previous step

[DonJayamanne]

@brettcannon @karrtikr
Are you happy for me to submit a PR for this.
Would you prefer a new API method or re-use the same command?

[karrtikr]

@karthiknadig owns this component. What do you think?

[brettcannon]

This way when users go into kernel picker and choose the ability to create a kernel, then they can go back.

Else today when users hit the cancel button there's no way to know the user hit cancel

So is the concern more that you are somewhere part way in picking a kernel and you don't know someone dropped out of it? I can see a back button happening when someone realizes they made a mistake, but that won't solve knowing about a cancellation in all cases, correct?

[karthiknadig]

I would like some clarity on the flow. It is a confusing on how back button will be used here.

[DonJayamanne]

@karthiknadig
Please could you install the latest pre-release of Jupyter and Python extension in vsocode insiders

• Then add the following setting into your user settings file

"notebook.kernelPicker.type": "mru",

• Open a new empty workspace folder
• Create a new ipynb file
• Go into the kernel picker,. and select Python Environment and use the option to create a new python env
  That will take you to the Python Quick pick to create a Python env (venv or conda), however one you get there
  there's no way to cancel that and go back to the original kernel picker UI
  We would like the whole workflow to be a smooth process so that users have the ability to go back (e.g. they might not want to create a venv or the like).