Python environment error

[SilentHonorDarkKnight]

After updating the Python extension yesterday, when running a normal Python program, the terminal reported an error once because my conda environment could not be activated. After that, I could run the program normally by directly specifying the conda environment as before. I tolerated this small error, but it also caused me to be unable to find the conda environment at all when executing the fastapi dev d:/work/Code/backend/main.py command in the terminal, while it was normal before. I checked the change log of vscode and found that the newly installed Python Environments extension caused the above problem. I think these are very basic functions. I don’t know why this extension was put on the shelves without being fully tested. It is completely a half-finished product. I hope it can be fixed as soon as possible.

[eleanorjboyd]

Hello! I appreciate your concern and this extension has undergone months of testing to attempt to avoid these errors but in some cases they are hard to avoid. Can you provide the error specifically that you are seeing and I can help debug- thanks

[SilentHonorDarkKnight]

Worse things are happening! I just updated the version of vscode and found that I couldn't run python programs at all. There was no response after clicking the run button. But when I uninstalled the Python Environments extension, it could run again. But it still reports an error first, as shown in the first picture in my attachment. I remember that the terminal would directly start executing from the line "PS D:\work\test> & C:/Users/Arthas/miniconda3/envs/py3.12.4/python.exe d:/work/test/test.py" without the previous steps, but at least the program could still run in the end. When I executed fastapi-related programs, I used to execute the code directly in the vscode terminal because it would automatically help me execute it using the conda environment, but now no matter how I try, it doesn't work at all, as shown in the second picture in my attachment. And now even if I uninstall the Python Environments extension, or downgrade the Python extension, I can't restore it to the original normal state. I checked the settings json file of vscode and didn't find anything was modified. This makes me very distressed. I hope you can check it out. Thank you.

[karthiknadig]

Try running "Python: Clear cache and reload". Also can you share your project, I am not sure if there should be a space before test.py

[SilentHonorDarkKnight]

I executed "Python: Clear Cache and Reload Window" in the vscode command palette, but it did not fix any errors. Regarding the naming problem of fastapi test.py, this is a test file I rewrote. In the actual project, the "fastapi dev d:/work/2025_04_22/Code/backend/main.py" command was used in the vscode terminal. But it doesn't matter anymore, and the same error is reported now. I found the previously executed command through the terminal that comes with Windows, and found that I didn't even need to write "&C:/Users/Arthas/miniconda3/envs/py3.12.4/python.exe" before. I could just execute "fastapi dev d:/work/2025_04_22/Code/backend/main.py" to start correctly. Thank you for your answer.

[eleanorjboyd]

Hello, thank you for this extra info! Made some bullets to summarize what is happening for you to make sure I am understanding everything that is happening

1. The run button was broken (didn't do anything on click) until you uninstalled the Python Environments extension
2. Without the environments extension, when you click the run button it reports an error first
   a. does the extension inject all 3 of those commands shown in the first picture into your terminal or did you type any of those?
   b. for the response the conda activate, any chance you could paste or translate that error message?
3. Previously, your FastAPI command worked without needing to specify the Python executable directly and you found this does work again when running in the terminal by hand

The python environments extension will be taking over environment handling, which means environment activation and getting the right command to run a given file with conda. The new extension seems to cause problems as it is not activating your terminal correctly either from the run button (where it errors) or the terminal where it cannot find the executable correctly. Appreciate your help as we debug and fix this issue on the new extension, thanks!

[SilentHonorDarkKnight]

OK, let me explain it in more detail.

1. You understand it very well, and I see many people report this problem in the comments section of Python environment extension. I think this is a very serious problem because Python environment extension is automatically installed and it is difficult for people to find it when troubleshooting.

a. The three commands in the first picture are automatically entered in the terminal after clicking the "Run" button. In my impression, the terminal will automatically enter the third command to run my Python program normally.
b. The translation result is as follows:

"conda: The term "conda" is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program. Please check the spelling of the name, and if a path is included, make sure the path is correct and try again.
Position Line Count: 1 Character Count: 1
+ conda activate py3.12.4
+ ~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo: ObjectNotFound: (conda:String) [], CommandNotFoundException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId: CommandNotFoundException"

3. Because the fastapi command "fastapi dev d:/work/2025_04_22/Code/backend/main.py" is different from the normal Python program execution command. I know that I can manually activate the conda environment in the built-in PowerShell in Windows and then run the fastapi command, but I am too lazy to open PowerShell separately to activate the conda environment, so I initially tried to execute the fastapi command directly in the command line. vscode terminal. Everything works fine, which makes me very happy. I think vscode does a good job, saving me from complicated operations. But it doesn't work now. I hope you can re-implement this convenient function. Thank you!

[eleanorjboyd]

Thank you for getting back to me!

1. I am actively investigating the run button issue, I made some progress like this PR but am still work on confirming the fix
2. As you know the following do this:
   C:\Users\you\miniconda3\Scripts\activate: sets up the base shell environment so that conda activate can work
   conda activate py12.3.4: actually activates the environment
   With your error that means the first step isn't working and conda cannot be found in your shell. If you open a shell outside of vscode run these commands does it work? And if you look at this path C:\Users\you\miniconda3\Scripts\activate, does the activate exist?
   The problem could be your conda environment is not setup how we expect (and what we expect is those commands run in your terminal) so we just have to figure out where it is getting those commands wrong and try and fix it (similar to this)
3. If we get this working it should solve your 3rd problem about fastapi since we can get you back to having the environment activated by default.

[SilentHonorDarkKnight]

The C:\Users\you\miniconda3\Scripts\activate file does exist. Also, as my screenshots show, the results shown in Windows Powershell and Anaconda Powershell Prompt are different. Is this the cause of the Python environment expansion error?

[CarlGao4]

The default activate can only activate the environment in cmd.exe
If you want to use it in powershell, you should use conda powershell. If you want to enable conda in powershell by default, run conda init powershell.