native locator does not resolve conda environments in homebrew-installed miniforge

[rzeidler]

Type: Bug

Behaviour

The native python locator does not correctly resolve my conda environments from a miniforge installation on MacOS, where miniforge itself was installed via homebrew. The issue occurs on two separate computers, I only discovered the problem because on the newer installation the python extension was set to use the new native locator by default. When using the old js locator everything works as expected.

After trying to select my environment in an interactive python window, the displayed python version in the GUI becomes "Python -1.-1.-1" and an error is reported that the kernel could not be started because the python environment is not available any more.

Steps to reproduce:

1. Install miniforge in homebrew via brew install miniforge.
2. Create a conda environment, e.g. mamba create -n test_environ python=3.11
3. Make sure that the native python locator is selected in the extension settings.
4. Try to run a python file (or a jupyter notebook) interactively using the created environment.

Judging from the log files, it seems that after these steps, the new locator tries to run /opt/homebrew/bin/python (which does not even exist!), rather than the correct /opt/homebrew/Caskroom/miniforge/base/envs/test_environ/bin/python3.11.

Diagnostic data

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

Python.log

2024-08-19 12:42:09.715 [info] Conda environment manager found at: /opt/homebrew/Caskroom/miniforge/base/bin/conda
2024-08-19 12:42:09.743 [info] Native locator: Refresh finished in 68 ms
2024-08-19 12:42:12.431 [error] Invalid version for /opt/homebrew/Caskroom/miniforge/base/envs/test_environ/bin/python: {"name":"","location":"/opt/homebrew/bin/python","kind":"global-system","id":"/opt/homebrew/bin/python","executable":{"filename":"/opt/homebrew/bin/python","sysPrefix":"","ctime":-1,"mtime":-1},"version":{"sysVersion":null,"major":-1,"minor":-1,"micro":-1},"arch":1,"distro":{"org":""},"source":[],"detailedDisplayName":"Python","display":"Python"}
2024-08-19 12:42:12.450 [error] Invalid version for /opt/homebrew/bin/python: {"name":"","location":"/opt/homebrew/bin/python","kind":"global-system","id":"/opt/homebrew/bin/python","executable":{"filename":"/opt/homebrew/bin/python","sysPrefix":"","ctime":-1,"mtime":-1},"version":{"sysVersion":null,"major":-1,"minor":-1,"micro":-1},"arch":1,"distro":{"org":""},"source":[],"detailedDisplayName":"Python","display":"Python"}
2024-08-19 12:42:12.450 [error] Invalid version for /opt/homebrew/bin/python: {"name":"","location":"/opt/homebrew/bin/python","kind":"global-system","id":"/opt/homebrew/bin/python","executable":{"filename":"/opt/homebrew/bin/python","sysPrefix":"","ctime":-1,"mtime":-1},"version":{"sysVersion":null,"major":-1,"minor":-1,"micro":-1},"arch":1,"distro":{"org":""},"source":[],"detailedDisplayName":"Python","display":"Python"}
2024-08-19 12:42:12.450 [error] Invalid version for /opt/homebrew/bin/python: {"name":"","location":"/opt/homebrew/bin/python","kind":"global-system","id":"/opt/homebrew/bin/python","executable":{"filename":"/opt/homebrew/bin/python","sysPrefix":"","ctime":-1,"mtime":-1},"version":{"sysVersion":null,"major":-1,"minor":-1,"micro":-1},"arch":1,"distro":{"org":""},"source":[],"detailedDisplayName":"Python","display":"Python"}

Python Locator.log

2024-08-19 12:42:12.429 [error] Failed to execute Python to resolve info "/opt/homebrew/bin/python": No such file or directory (os error 2)
2024-08-19 12:42:12.429 [error] Failed to resolve env "/opt/homebrew/Caskroom/miniforge/base/envs/test_environ/bin/python", returning discovered env PythonEnvironment { display_name: None, name: None, executable: Some("/opt/homebrew/bin/python"), kind: Some(Homebrew), version: None, prefix: None, manager: None, project: None, arch: None, symlinks: Some(["/opt/homebrew/Caskroom/miniforge/base/envs/test_environ/bin/python3.11", "/opt/homebrew/bin/python"]) }
2024-08-19 12:42:12.429 [info] Resolved Python Environment /opt/homebrew/bin/python
2024-08-19 12:42:12.450 [error] Failed to execute Python to resolve info "/opt/homebrew/bin/python": No such file or directory (os error 2)
2024-08-19 12:42:12.450 [error] Failed to resolve env "/opt/homebrew/bin/python", returning discovered env PythonEnvironment { display_name: None, name: None, executable: Some("/opt/homebrew/bin/python"), kind: Some(Homebrew), version: None, prefix: None, manager: None, project: None, arch: None, symlinks: Some(["/opt/homebrew/bin/python"]) }
2024-08-19 12:42:12.450 [info] Resolved Python Environment /opt/homebrew/bin/python

Extension version: 2024.12.3
VS Code version: Code 1.92.2 (Universal) (fee1edb8d6d72a0ddff41e5f71a671c23ed924b9, 2024-08-14T17:29:30.058Z)
OS version: Darwin arm64 23.6.0
Modes:

• Python version (& distribution if applicable, e.g. Anaconda): 3.12.4
• Type of virtual environment used (e.g. conda, venv, virtualenv, etc.): System
• Value of the python.languageServer setting: Default

User Settings

languageServer: "Pylance"

Installed Extensions

Extension Name	Extension Id	Version
Black Formatter	ms-python.black-formatter	2024.2.0
Code Spell Checker	streetsidesoftware.code-spell-checker	3.0.1
CodeLLDB	vadimcn.vscode-lldb	1.10.0
Docker	ms-azuretools.vscode-docker	1.29.2
Entwicklungscontainer	ms-vscode-remote.remote-containers	0.380.0
Even Better TOML	tamasfe.even-better-toml	0.19.2
Excel to Markdown table	csholmq.excel-to-markdown-table	1.3.0
German - Code Spell Checker	streetsidesoftware.code-spell-checker-german	2.3.2
German Language Pack for Visual Studio Code	MS-CEINTL.vscode-language-pack-de	1.92.2024081409
GitHub Codespaces	GitHub.codespaces	1.17.2
GitHub Copilot	GitHub.copilot	1.223.0
GitHub Copilot Chat	GitHub.copilot-chat	0.18.2
GitLens — Git supercharged	eamodio.gitlens	15.3.0
Go	golang.go	0.42.0
Hexadezimal-Editor	ms-vscode.hexeditor	1.10.0
isort	ms-python.isort	2023.10.1
JavaScript Debugger	ms-vscode.js-debug	1.92.0
JavaScript Debugger Companion Extension	ms-vscode.js-debug-companion	1.1.3
Jupyter	ms-toolsai.jupyter	2024.7.0
Jupyter Cell Tags	ms-toolsai.vscode-jupyter-cell-tags	0.1.9
Jupyter Keymap	ms-toolsai.jupyter-keymap	1.1.2
Jupyter Notebook Renderers	ms-toolsai.jupyter-renderers	1.0.19
Jupyter Slide Show	ms-toolsai.vscode-jupyter-slideshow	0.1.6
LaTeX Workshop	James-Yu.latex-workshop	10.1.0
lean4	leanprover.lean4	0.0.176
Markdown Preview Mermaid Support	bierner.markdown-mermaid	1.23.1
Pylance	ms-python.vscode-pylance	2024.8.1
Pylint	ms-python.pylint	2023.10.1
Python	ms-python.python	2024.12.3
Python Debugger	ms-python.debugpy	2024.10.0
Remote - SSH	ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh	0.113.1
Remote - SSH: Editing Configuration Files	ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh-edit	0.86.0
Remote - Tunnels	ms-vscode.remote-server	1.5.2
Remote-Explorer	ms-vscode.remote-explorer	0.4.3
rust-analyzer	rust-lang.rust-analyzer	0.3.2078
Table Visualizer for JavaScript Profiles	ms-vscode.vscode-js-profile-table	1.0.9
Word Count	ms-vscode.wordcount	0.1.0

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	Apple M2 (8 x 2400)
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 webgl: enabled webgl2: enabled webgpu: enabled webnn: disabled_off
Load (avg)	2, 2, 3
Memory (System)	16.00GB (0.19GB free)
Process Argv	--crash-reporter-id d0b91948-e635-44b9-81c3-673cf98b8612
Screen Reader	no
VM	0%

A/B Experiments

vsliv368cf:30146710
vspor879:30202332
vspor708:30202333
vspor363:30204092
vswsl492cf:30256860
vscod805:30301674
binariesv615:30325510
vsaa593:30376534
py29gd2263:31024239
vscaac:30438847
c4g48928:30535728
azure-dev_surveyone:30548225
962ge761:30959799
pythongtdpath:30769146
pythonnoceb:30805159
asynctok:30898717
pythonregdiag2:30936856
pythonmypyd1:30879173
2e7ec940:31000449
pythontbext0:30879054
dsvsc016:30899300
dsvsc017:30899301
dsvsc018:30899302
cppperfnew:31000557
dsvsc020:30976470
pythonait:31006305
dsvsc021:30996838
f3je6385:31013174
pythoncenvpt:31062603
a69g1124:31058053
dvdeprecation:31068756
dwnewjupytercf:31046870
impr_priority:31102340
refactort:31108082
pythonrstrctxt:31112756
flightc:31119335
wkspc-onlycs-c:31111717
wkspc-ranged-c:31118571

[corneliusroemer]

Duplicate of Similar to #23963 #23922

This seems to be an issue faced by very many people, which is confirmed by the high number of views of the stackoverflow question I created: https://stackoverflow.com/a/78886126/7483211

TL;DR:

Add this to your user settings:

"python.locator": "js",

[rzeidler]

Not completely sure this is the same issue as the ones you linked. Certainly looks similar, but in my case the python extension starts up fine (e.g. syntax highlighting works). I can even use the global brew python. Just activating any of the conda environments fails. Of course it could still be the same issue and the difference in behavior is caused by other aspects of my configuration.

In any case, switching to the js locator does fix the problem, so it is certain an issue related to the native locator.

[corneliusroemer]

Thanks, that's helpful context! Might be one root cause with different symptoms/manifestations depending on the venvs/conda/pixi/poetry environments one has present.

[DonJayamanne]

@rzeidler @austinmw @corneliusroemer Please can you try installing the pre-release version and checking if that works.

If this doesn't work, please try the following:

• Select the command Python: Clear Cache and Reload Window
• Exit VS Code
• Open VS Code
• Set the trace level to Trace by selecting the command Developer: Set Log Level and select Trace
• Reproduce the problem
• Share the logs from the Python and Python Locator output panels
  use the command Python: Show Output to get to the Python output, then select Python Locator)
• Please share screenshots of any other problems/errors you see (in VS Code)

I have tested this at my end and it works for me.

[corneliusroemer]

Thanks @DonJayamanne - I confirm the problem is fixed for me, even when changing the locator back to native. (I always use pre-release: v2024.13.2024081501 (pre-release))

[toby-coleman]

Thank you @DonJayamanne - I can also confirm that this is fixed in the pre-release version.

[rzeidler]

Thanks @DonJayamanne – for me it also seems to be fixed in the pre-release version.

[DonJayamanne]

Closing as fixed
The next stake version of the extension will contain the fix

[corneliusroemer]

The issue has unfortunately come back in the newer prerelease version v2024.13.2024082001 (pre-release)

See #23982 - the "python.locator": "js", settings workaround still works though, so that's good!