Flickering interpreter selection panel does not allow to select a Python interpreter

[andycodesstuff]

VS Code version

Version: 1.63.0-insider (user setup) Commit: 3a79384 Date: 2021-11-11T05:15:37.996Z Electron: 13.5.2 Chromium: 91.0.4472.164 Node.js: 14.16.0 V8: 9.1.269.39-electron.0 OS: Windows_NT x64 10.0.22000

Extension version

v2021.11.1422169775

OS type

Windows

OS version

11

Python distribution

python.org

Python version

3.9.2

Language server

Default

Expected behaviour

I should be able to select a Python interpreter from the selection panel

Actual behaviour

First, I think it is relevant to explain my project setup: I am running my project inside a Docker container using the remote containers extension. This project uses 3 containers, a back-end (written in Python), a front-end (NodeJS + React) and a workspace container that VSCode will connect to once it finishes the docker-compose setup. It might not be relevant to the issue, but here is my devcontainer.json file:

{
  "name": "team32_project",
  "dockerComposeFile": ["../docker-compose.yml", "docker-compose.workspace.yml"],

  // The name of the service VS Code should connect to once running and
  // an array of services that should be started by VS Code
  "service": "workspace",
  "runServices": ["back-end", "front-end"],

  // Default path that VS Code should open when connecting to the container
  "workspaceFolder": "/team32_project",

  // Set *default* container specific settings on container create
  "settings": {
    // Automatically format Python code
    "python.defaultInterpreterPath": "${containerWorkspaceFolder}/back-end/.venv/bin/python",
    "python.formatting.provider": "black",

    // Automatically format JavaScript, TypeScript and JSON code
    "editor.defaultFormatter": "esbenp.prettier-vscode",
    "prettier.configPath": "${containerWorkspaceFolder}/front-end/.prettierrc",
    "eslint.workingDirectories": ["${containerWorkspaceFolder}/front-end"],

    "editor.formatOnSave": true
  },

  // Extensions that should be installed inside the container when it is created
  "extensions": [
    // Language support extensions
    "bungcip.better-toml",
    "ms-python.python",

    // Formatting, linting and similar extensions
    "dbaeumer.vscode-eslint",
    "editorconfig.editorconfig",
    "esbenp.prettier-vscode"
  ]
}

and here is workspace container Dockerfile:

FROM alpine:3.14

WORKDIR /team32_project

# Install system dependencies
RUN apk update \
  && apk upgrade \
  && apk add --no-cache git

# Leave the container running so we can interact with it
CMD ["tail", "-f", "/dev/null"]

As you can see, I specified a suggested Python interpreter using the python.defaultInterpreterPath, but it is not working at the moment. Once opened, the interpreter selection panel starts rapidly flickering and thus I cannot choose the interpreter. Moreover, when I try to select it manually, it does not work either. (you can see this behaviour in the youtube video that I linked below)

I tried to setup a multi-root workspace with no luck (I know that the extension does not support virtualenvs that are not in the project's root directory)

Note: I also tried installing Python 3.9.2 inside the workspace container and it gets recognized without issues, but my objective is to use the project's virtual environment rather than the system's one to have IntelliSense support for the packages that I'm using

Steps to reproduce

Unfortunately, the issue is difficult to describe without some evidence material, so I uploaded a short video of what I am experiencing: https://youtu.be/ivXpR4CbOhU

First, I try to select the interpreter under the back-end project root (as you can see by the path, which is ./.venv/bin/python). Then, I try the same thing with the other project root (the path here is correct too, ./back-end/.venv/bin/python). Eventually, I try to enter it manually but it still does not work

Logs

No response

Code of Conduct

• I agree to follow this project's Code of Conduct

[andycodesstuff]

I checked the Python logs and the problem was that poetry wasn't installed in my workspace container. Once I installed it, I can select an interpreter without any issues (even from the root project directory, nice!).

Still, I think this issue might be relevant for the flickering panel

[williambrode]

I have the same issue - the flickering making it so I can't select an interpreter. I'm connected to WSL in case that has to do the with the cause.

[williambrode]

I noticed today that there is spam in the python output in my case too:

Failed to parse interpreter information for /usr/bin/python3,/home/wbrode/.vscode-server/extensions/ms-python.python-2021.12.1559732655/pythonFiles/interpreterInfo.py stderr: sh: 0: getcwd() failed: No such file or directory

This seems likely related to using WSL.

[karrtikr]

Thanks for the bug report! We just wanted to quickly acknowledge we received it and we will triage this as soon as we can.

[karrtikr]

Hi @andycodesstuff & @williambrode 👋 I understand you have fixed the issue, but to solve the flickering problem, I would require that you please set python.logging.level to debug, and provide the logs as mentioned in the issue template. Please undo your fix before doing this, thanks!

Logs

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

XXX