python.pythonPath doesn't work properly in workspace with multiple python projects

[pferretti]

Environment data

VS Code version: 1.19.3
Python Extension version: 2018.1.0
Python Version: 3.6.4
OS and version: Ubuntu 16.04

Actual behavior

In a workspace with multiple projects associated to multiple virtual environments, the association with virtual environments doesn't work anymore. VSCode Python keep using the virtual environment defined in the first project of the workspace.
If I open the single projects, the association with virtual environment works as expected.

Expected behavior

Correct association to a proper virtual environment for every project in a workspace.

Steps to reproduce:

• Add at least two projects in a workspace
• Configure a different virtual environment for every project using python.pythonPath
• Save the workspace
• Reload the window and check the virtual environment loaded by VSCode for each project

Logs

Output from Python output panel

Output from Console window (Help->Developer Tools menu)

/usr/share/code/resources/app/out/vs/workbench/workbench.main.js:249 [Extension Host] Python Extension: Failed to get conda info from conda null
t.log @ /usr/share/code/resources/app/out/vs/workbench/workbench.main.js:249
/usr/share/code/resources/app/out/vs/workbench/workbench.main.js:249 [Extension Host] (node:26467) DeprecationWarning: os.tmpDir() is deprecated. Use os.tmpdir() instead.
t.log @ /usr/share/code/resources/app/out/vs/workbench/workbench.main.js:249

[DonJayamanne]

Reload the window and check the virtual environment loaded by VSCode for each project

What do you mean by check the virtual env loaded?
Do you mean to say that the pythonPath setting in settings.json has now changed?

[pferretti]

What do you mean by check the virtual env loaded?

I'm sorry, probably not the best explanation!

I mean that you must check the pythonPath used by VSC for the project relative to the .py file that you opened.

So, if you open a .py file contained in the first project of your workspace, VSC uses the correct pythonPath, but if you open a .py contained in the second (or third, fourth, etc...) project of your workspace, VSC uses the pythonPath defined in the first project, not the one defined for the project that you are using.

[DonJayamanne]

How are you identifying this issue?
Please could you provide the steps?

[galindro]

@DonJayamanne I've seen the same problem here, in my env. I'll try to clarify @pferretti explanation for you through a simple example:

1. Create two python virtualenvs. You could use virtualenvwrapper for this. P.S.: I'm using python 3.6, but you could use 2.7. This error isn't tied to the python version.

mkvirtualenv -p /usr/bin/python3.6 project_1
mkvirtualenv -p /usr/bin/python3.6 project_2

2. Create .vscode with a settings.json file on each virtualenv folder, like bellow:

settings.json from project_1

{
    "python.pythonPath": "/<your_root_folder>/project_1/bin/python"
}

settings.json from project_2

{
    "python.pythonPath": "/<your_root_folder>/project_2/bin/python"
}

3. Create a simple python script on each virtualenv, like bellow:

main.py from project_1

print("Hello World!")

main.py from project_2

print("Hello World!")

4. Check if the root folder content of your workspace is like bellow:

Folder contents:

project_1
├── bin
│   ├── activate
│   ├── activate.csh
│   ├── activate.fish
│   ├── activate_this.py
│   ├── easy_install
│   ├── easy_install-3.6
│   ├── epylint
│   ├── get_env_details
│   ├── isort
│   ├── pip
│   ├── pip3
│   ├── pip3.6
│   ├── postactivate
│   ├── postdeactivate
│   ├── preactivate
│   ├── predeactivate
│   ├── pylint
│   ├── pyreverse
│   ├── python -> python3.6
│   ├── python3 -> python3.6
│   ├── python3.6
│   ├── python-config
│   ├── symilar
│   └── wheel
├── include
│   └── python3.6m -> /usr/include/python3.6m
├── lib
│   └── python3.6
├── main.py
├── pip-selfcheck.json
└── .vscode
    └── settings.json
project_2
├── bin
│   ├── activate
│   ├── activate.csh
│   ├── activate.fish
│   ├── activate_this.py
│   ├── easy_install
│   ├── easy_install-3.6
│   ├── epylint
│   ├── get_env_details
│   ├── isort
│   ├── pip
│   ├── pip3
│   ├── pip3.6
│   ├── postactivate
│   ├── postdeactivate
│   ├── preactivate
│   ├── predeactivate
│   ├── pylint
│   ├── pyreverse
│   ├── python -> python3.6
│   ├── python3 -> python3.6
│   ├── python3.6
│   ├── python-config
│   ├── symilar
│   └── wheel
├── include
│   └── python3.6m -> /usr/include/python3.6m
├── lib
│   └── python3.6
├── main.py
├── pip-selfcheck.json
└── .vscode
    └── settings.json

5. Now, open vscode and add those two folder projects in a new workspace, begging with project_1. See the print bellow:

6 - Open the project_1/main.py file and check the python path in the botton of the screen. You must just stay with the mouse pointer on it and a pop-up will open telling you the python path:

As you can see above, it points to the python interpreter installed on project_1 folder. This is fine.

7 - Now open the project_2/main.py and make the same steps above:

See that the python interpreter used by this folder is the same as project_1, instead of project_2. Even if I try to click on that menu and try to change the python interpreter of project_2 folder, it not works, because the menu always point to project_1 folder. Check the bellow prints:

I hope that I was clear enough.

[galindro]

My vscode version is: 1.19.3-1516876437
My O.S. is Debian 9

[galindro]

@DonJayamanne

I've tested with all of the bellow versions and the error occurs with all of them

     1.19.3-1516876437 990
        990 https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/vscode stable/main amd64 Packages
     1.19.2-1515599945 990
        990 https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/vscode stable/main amd64 Packages
     1.19.1-1513676564 990
        990 https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/vscode stable/main amd64 Packages
 *** 1.19.0-1513245498 990
        990 https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/vscode stable/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

[pferretti]

Thanks @galindro , a perfect explanation :-)

[lig]

Same here. Reproduces in 1.20. Makes vscode python extension almost unusable and results in false errors from all over the workspace. I had 9 folders in the same workspace and now I'm forced to remove and readd folders continuously to be able to use the extension.

[kentwait]

Sent here after filing the issue on the vscode repository.

I would like to add that it doesn't necessarily have to be multiple Python projects, just any multi-root workspace. At least on Mac OS X 10.11.6.

In my setup I have a two root folders in the workspace, one folder using Go and the other folder using Python. Only the Python folder has the python.pythonPath folder setting and the behavior described above still occurs.

EDIT:
Looking at the settings.json file, selecting the interpreter using the menu does change the value of python.pythonPath but the menu value does not. More importantly, even if the interpreter value in settings.json changes, vscode does not register that change and is stuck with the intepreter loaded at launch.