External cmdline will be launched when the plugin automaticly activate conda environment

[HosamaJJF]

Type: Bug

Behaviour

It is expected to see intergrated terminal launched with conda env activated and with no more infomation, but:

1. Command "/anaconda/Scripts/activate" and "conda activate envname" can be seen when intergrated terminal launched. (These couldn't be seen before)
2. External cmdline popped up when "/anaconda/Scripts/activate" is processed. (Though it may seems normal when you try to do the same in any other terminal, these process couldn't be seen before and it is annoying, and i have already set "conda init" for pwsh)

Edit: It is also expected to keep conda env activated when vscode restart, but i need to restart terminal to recover. All of above problems except "/anaconda/Scripts/activate" also happened when using with wsl.

Steps to reproduce:

1. Open a folder in VSCode
2. Set a conda environment for the workspace
3. Open the intergated terminal and you can see what happens

Diagnostic data

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

2025-07-20 10:34:29.182 [info] 试验“pythonTerminalEnvVarActivationcf”处于活动状态
2025-07-20 10:34:29.182 [info] Native locator: Refresh started
2025-07-20 10:34:29.768 [info] > pyenv which python
2025-07-20 10:34:29.768 [info] cwd: .
2025-07-20 10:34:29.894 [info] > conda info --json
2025-07-20 10:34:29.959 [info] Conda environment manager found at: D:\anaconda\Scripts\conda.exe
2025-07-20 10:34:29.959 [info] Using conda: D:\anaconda\Scripts\conda.exe
2025-07-20 10:34:33.044 [info] Native locator: Refresh finished in 4853 ms
2025-07-20 10:34:33.087 [info] > D:\anaconda\Scripts\conda.exe info --json
2025-07-20 10:34:35.964 [info] Python 解释器路径: D:\anaconda\envs\Practice\python.exe
2025-07-20 10:34:37.146 [info] 正在启动 Pylance 语言服务器。
2025-07-20 10:34:38.588 [info] Send text to terminal: D:/anaconda/Scripts/activate
2025-07-20 10:34:39.091 [info] Send text to terminal: conda activate Practice

Extension version: 2025.10.0
VS Code version: Code 1.102.1 (7adae6a56e34cb64d08899664b814cf620465925, 2025-07-15T16:41:17.147Z)
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26100
Modes:

• Python version (& distribution if applicable, e.g. Anaconda): 3.9.23
• Type of virtual environment used (e.g. conda, venv, virtualenv, etc.): Conda
• Value of the python.languageServer setting: Default

User Settings

languageServer: "Pylance"

Installed Extensions

Extension Name	Extension Id	Version
arm	dan	1.7.4
autopep8	ms-	2025.2.0
background	sha	2.0.3
better-cpp-syntax	jef	1.27.1
black-formatter	ms-	2025.2.0
codespaces	Git	1.17.3
copilot	Git	1.344.0
copilot-chat	Git	0.29.1
cortex-debug	mar	1.12.1
cpptools	ms-	1.26.3
cpptools-extension-pack	ms-	1.3.1
cpptools-themes	ms-	2.0.0
darkpp-italic	idb	0.2.1
data-workspace-vscode	ms-	0.6.3
datawrangler	ms-	1.22.0
debug-tracker-vscode	mcu	0.0.15
debugpy	ms-	2025.10.0
doxdocgen	csc	1.4.0
emoji-icons	mig	1.6.1
eva-theme	fis	2.7.9
github-vscode-theme	Git	6.3.5
gnu-mapfiles	tro	1.1.0
gruvbox	jdi	1.28.0
hexeditor	ms-	1.11.1
horizon-theme-vscode	ale	1.0.1
html-preview-vscode	geo	0.2.5
icons-carbon	ant	0.2.6
intellicode-api-usage-examples	Vis	0.2.9
isort	ms-	2025.0.0
java	red	1.43.1
js-debug	ms-	1.102.0
js-debug-companion	ms-	1.1.3
jupyter	ms-	2025.6.0
jupyter-keymap	ms-	1.1.2
jupyter-renderers	ms-	1.3.0
keil-assistant	cl	1.7.0
latex-workshop	Jam	10.10.0
linkerscript	Zix	1.0.4
macos-modern-theme	dav	2.3.19
markdown-preview-enhanced	shd	0.8.18
material-icon-theme	PKi	5.24.0
material-product-icons	PKi	1.7.1
material-theme	zhu	3.19.0
memory-view	mcu	0.0.25
moegi-theme	ddi	0.7.1
monochrome	ano	2.4.3
mssql	ms-	1.33.0
night-owl	sdr	2.1.1
peripheral-viewer	mcu	1.4.6
prettier-vscode	esb	11.0.0
pyqt-integration	zho	0.2.0
python	ms-	2025.10.0
rainbow-csv	mec	3.20.0
remote-explorer	ms-	0.5.0
remote-ssh	ms-	0.120.0
remote-ssh-edit	ms-	0.87.0
remote-wsl	ms-	0.99.0
rose-pine	mvl	2.14.0
rtos-views	mcu	0.0.7
sequoia	wic	1.31.0
sql-bindings-vscode	ms-	0.4.1
sql-database-projects-vscode	ms-	1.5.3
Theme-MarkdownKit	ms-	0.1.4
theme-panda	tin	1.4.0
theme-vitesse	ant	0.8.3
vscode-eslint	dba	3.0.10
vscode-fix-checksums-next	Rim	1.4.0
vscode-gradle	vsc	3.16.4
vscode-java-debug	vsc	0.58.2
vscode-java-dependency	vsc	0.24.1
vscode-java-pack	vsc	0.29.2
vscode-java-test	vsc	0.43.1
vscode-jetbrains-icon-theme	cha	2.33.0
vscode-js-profile-table	ms-	1.0.10
vscode-jupyter-cell-tags	ms-	0.1.9
vscode-jupyter-powertoys	ms-	0.1.1
vscode-jupyter-slideshow	ms-	0.1.6
vscode-language-pack-zh-hans	MS-	1.102.2025071609
vscode-maven	vsc	0.44.0
vscode-office	cwe	3.5.4
vscode-pylance	ms-	2025.6.2
vscode-sqlite	ale	0.14.1
vscodeintellicode	Vis	1.3.2
webstorm-icons	pms	1.0.0
win-opacity	ska	1.1.7
winteriscoming	joh	1.4.4

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	AMD Ryzen 7 6800H with Radeon Graphics (16 x 3194)
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 skia_graphite: disabled_off video_decode: enabled video_encode: enabled vulkan: disabled_off webgl: enabled webgl2: enabled webgpu: enabled webnn: disabled_off
Load (avg)	undefined
Memory (System)	15.25GB (2.76GB free)
Process Argv	--crash-reporter-id bba39a52-efa9-4055-b69e-131b7b2f071c
Screen Reader	no
VM	25%

A/B Experiments

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[HosamaJJF]

Just in case, i installed VSCode Insider with nothing added and installed pre-release version of vscode-python and it turns out:

We can still see the command shown, which is supposed to be hidden. Fortunately it uses another command to activate the env and in this way it wont launch cmdline.
and when i restart VSCode it automatically recovered the env.

Then i rolled back to the release version of vscode-python, and all the problems back again.

Then i tried to install the pre-release version of vscode-python in the release version of VSCode, the problems is still the same.

I don't know what excactly causes the diffrences, everything is just fine a week ago. I tried to roll back the plugin to an older version, and the problems still remains. The only thing I can remember may have an influence on my environment is that i have installed docker desktop.

[HosamaJJF]

Just in case, i installed VSCode Insider with nothing added and installed pre-release version of vscode-python and it turns out:

We can still see the command shown, which is supposed to be hidden. Fortunately it uses another command to activate the env and in this way it wont launch cmdline. and when i restart VSCode it automatically recovered the env.

Then i rolled back to the release version of vscode-python, and all the problems back again.

Then i tried to install the pre-release version of vscode-python in the release version of VSCode, the problems is still the same.

I don't know what excactly causes the diffrences, everything is just fine a week ago. I tried to roll back the plugin to an older version, and the problems still remains. The only thing I can remember may have an influence on my environment is that i have installed docker desktop.

I've made a wrong that I haven't added "python.useEnvironmentsExtension": true to my user settings, so the plugin vscode-python-environments bundled with the pre-release version wasn't activated. Now I meet the same situation i've met in the VSCode Insider. It seems this new plugin bundled with vscode-python pre-release can solve my problem to some degree. But i still don't know why the original plugin goes wrong and the command to activate conda env just keep showing in the terminal.

[HosamaJJF]

Whats new:
I found a setting "python-envs.terminal.autoActivationType" in vscode-python-environments. I turned it to "shellStartup". It didn't work at first and I found the shell script was witten to "C:\Users\Username\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1", but i am using Powershell 7 so I copied the script to "C:\Users\Username\Documents\PowerShell\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1", and everything worked as what they looks like before.

I will keep this issue open so you can notice this problem and do something to the release version if you have no plan to release these pre-release features in a short days.

Thank you for your contributions!

[eleanorjboyd]

Thank you for updating this issue as you went and I am very glad to hear you found the right setting! @anthonykim1 - is there a way we can make sure the right shell script is edited? Or allow users to pick which one is?

[anthonykim1]

@eleanorjboyd I think we might have a bug in locating which ps1 to put the shell flag in

[eleanorjboyd]

Doing investigation, seems like the right profile path is not being set. https://github.com/eleanorjboyd/vscode-python-environments/blob/9b7273c9481dac140fbe095c6f16c17e7c70cb09/src/features/terminal/shells/pwsh/pwshStartup.ts#L82-L83
The logs you sent were from the python extension right? Could you attach your python environment ext logs also at info level? This will give me some insight into how it is getting that shell value

[yayoinoyume]

I have also encountered this issue; I don't know when it started, but every time the virtual environment is activated, an External cmdline window will be launched. I now have no idea how to fix this problem.

[eleanorjboyd]

currently working here and hope this will help as it should get the correct activation steps: #693.

I will circle back when it is merged and hopefully you can test it and let me know if it is actually the fix