Actived Python Environment only partially works

[danielniccoli]

Type: Bug

Automatically activated environments only partially work. python.exe is found, but other tools like pip.exe (or ruff if installed) are not.

In previous version, this worked.

1. Run > Python: Create environment...
2. Check that .venv\Scripts\python.exe and .venv\Scripts\python.exe exist.
3. Open the Terminal and verify the environment was loaded: Get-Command python.exe (should show you the python binary in your new venv).
4. Run pip.exe

pip.exe: The term 'pip.exe' is not recognized as a name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or executable program.

5. Activate environment manually: .venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1
6. Run pip.exe again. Now it works.

VS Code version: Code 1.99.3 (17baf841131aa23349f217ca7c570c76ee87b957, 2025-04-15T23:18:46.076Z)
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26100
Modes:

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-11800H @ 2.30GHz (16 x 2304)
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)	31.73GB (14.76GB free)
Process Argv	C:\code\GitHub\diconium\IT-IAM-mailbox-automations\README.md --crash-reporter-id c8b77264-d6e8-4b5f-95e9-cdecf57cf75e
Screen Reader	no
VM	0%

Extensions (5)

Extension	Author (truncated)	Version
ruff	cha	2025.22.0
debugpy	ms-	2025.6.0
python	ms-	2025.5.2025042501
vscode-pylance	ms-	2025.4.102
autodocstring	njp	0.6.1

A/B Experiments

vsliv368cf:30146710
vspor879:30202332
vspor708:30202333
vspor363:30204092
vscod805:30301674
binariesv615:30325510
c4g48928:30535728
azure-dev_surveyone:30548225
2i9eh265:30646982
962ge761:30959799
h48ei257:31000450
pythontbext0:30879054
cppperfnew:31000557
dwnewjupytercf:31046870
pythonrstrctxt:31112756
nativeloc2:31192216
5fd0e150:31155592
dwcopilot:31170013
6074i472:31201624
dwoutputs:31242946
customenabled:31248079
9064b325:31222308
copilot_t_ci:31222730
e5gg6876:31282496
pythoneinst12:31285622
bgtreat:31268568
4gafe986:31271826
563cc122:31253270
31787653:31262186
3e8i5726:31271747
pythonpulldiagcf:31298646
996jf627:31283433
pythonrdcb7:31296841
usemplatestapi:31297334
7bj51361:31289155
747dc170:31275177
g20af354:31278749
aj953862:31281341
generatesymbolt:31295002
convertfstringf:31295003
gendocf:31295004

[Unturned3]

Can you print your $PATH (or whatever the equivalent of this variable is on Windows), in the integrated terminal? I am experiencing a similar problem (on macOS) and I noticed there are some broken characters in the $PATH, causing the shell to fail in finding the correct python interpreter.

[SiddharthPatel45]

Not sure if this is related, but when python.terminal.activateEnvironment is active, the environment is not loaded correctly. I see some : being parsed as \x3a when I echo $PATH and other variables. This also means, when the virtual environment is active by default (using this extension) I cannot find deactivate command as one of the : in the $PATH has been replaced to \x3a.

[karthiknadig]

@SiddharthPatel45 the \x3a is not caused by Python extension but is a regression in core VS Code: microsoft/vscode#248468

[SiddharthPatel45]

Thanks for the update. Let me follow up on that issue.

[maratnugmanov]

I am experiencing this under Windows WSL2. Here's my terminal when trying to run unicorn:

(my_project) username@User-PC:~/code/my_project$ uvicorn src.main:app --reload
Command 'uvicorn' not found, but can be installed with:
sudo apt install uvicorn
(my_project) username@User-PC:~/code/my_project$

There are two solutions to these I personally use:

1. wsl --shutdown since I thought this was the WSL problem and this actually works.
2. A quick swap from venv python to global and back via the bottom right corner environment button.

The moment I do that the command proceeds as expected:

(my_project) username@User-PC:~/code/my_project$ uvicorn src.main:app --reload
INFO: Will watch for changes in these directories: ['/home/username/code/my_project']
INFO: Uvicorn running on http://127.0.0.1:8000 (Press CTRL+C to quit)
INFO: Started reloader process [5474] using WatchFiles
INFO: Started server process [5476]
INFO: Waiting for application startup.

Oh as for the \x3a fix I didn't check that, if you fixed it in the 1.100.2 then great but I've already edited my str variable to not read : from the environment variable but add it in the python app on runtime with f-string.

[karthiknadig]

@maratnugmanov This might have been caused by microsoft/vscode#248468 , can you try updating to VS Code version 1.100.2?

[maratnugmanov]

@karthiknadig that was on 1.100.2 I manually go through clicking Check for Update to be sure I'm on the latest stable. So it is still there. Ii will try tomorrow again but this on the latest, that has dropped today.

UPDATE: If that helps, trying to deactivate venv doesn't deactivate it, I'll check what it says later but basically it's like I'm not in venv so nothing to deactivate. So the venv prefix stays and the problem is too.

[maratnugmanov]

@karthiknadig yes it's indeed true for 1.100.2, I have tried again today.

(my_project) username@User-PC:~/code/my_project$ uvicorn src.main:app --reload
Command 'uvicorn' not found, but can be installed with:
sudo apt install uvicorn
(my_project) username@User-PC:~/code/my_project$ deactivate
deactivate: command not found
(my_project) username@User-PC:~/code/my_project$ which pip
/usr/bin/pip
(my_project) username@User-PC:~/code/my_project$ which python3
/usr/bin/python3
(my_project) username@User-PC:~/code/my_project$ .venv/bin/activate
bash: .venv/bin/activate: Permission denied
(my_project) username@User-PC:~/code/my_project$
(my_project) username@User-PC:~/code/my_project$ cd .venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/uvicorn
(my_project) username@User-PC:~/code/my_project/.venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/uvicorn$