If kernel saved into notebook not found locally, language server does not start properly

[guidocioni]

Applies To

• Notebooks (.ipynb files)
• Interactive Window and/or Cell Scripts (.py files with #%% markers)

What happened?

I've been having this issue for quite some time on different devices.

When I open a notebook that hasn't been modified/saved ON THE SAME MACHINE the last time it was opened, choosing a kernel does not properly start the language server. This means that I have to cycle through the kernel picker one more time to properly start the language server.
Once I save the notebook and reopen it on the same machine this doesn't happen anymore.

I'm pretty sure this has something to do with the kernel spec that is saved into the ipynb file, because I'm working on the same file in a dropbox folder synced across different devices: once I save a file and open it on another device I always have to go through this. I guess at startup vscode tries to match the kernel found in the ipynb to the ones found locally but it fails because this file was last saved on another device.

I'm attaching a screen capture which may explain the situation better.

jupyter_vscode_bug.mov

VS Code Version

1.96.1

Jupyter Extension Version

2024.11.0

Jupyter logs

Coding Language and Runtime Version

No response

Language Extension Version (if applicable)

2024.22.0

Anaconda Version (if applicable)

No response

Running Jupyter locally or remotely?

Local