Prepare stops on first env that already exists

[AlbertDeFusco]

The scenario is that I have prepared an anaconda-project directory. I then want to add another env by manually editing the anaconda-project.yml file. The behavior is different depending on where the second env is added.

Preparation

Here is the base anaconda-project.yml file.

name: multiple envs

packages: []
channels: []

env_specs:
  first_env:
    packages:
      - python=3.6
      - requests

Create the envs directory by running anaconda-project prepare. Here's the bottom of the output

#
# To activate this environment, use
#
#     $ conda activate /Users/adefusco/Desktop/my_project/envs/first_env
#
# To deactivate an active environment, use
#
#     $ conda deactivate

The project is ready to run commands.
Use `anaconda-project list-commands` to see what's available.

Second env last will never get created

If the new environment is written AFTER the first, it will not get created. anaconda-project prepare ignores the second env.

name: multiple envs

packages: []
channels: []

env_specs:
  first_env:
    packages:
      - python=3.6
      - requests
  second_env:
    packages:
      - python=3.7
      - requests

The output of anaconda-project prepare indicates that no actions were taken

(base) adefusco@0235-adefusco:my_project>anaconda-project prepare
The project is ready to run commands.
Use `anaconda-project list-commands` to see what's available.

Second env first will get created

If the second environment is listed BEFORE the one that was already created it will be prepared.

name: multiple envs

packages: []
channels: []

env_specs:
  second_env:
    packages:
      - python=3.7
      - requests
  first_env:
    packages:
      - python=3.6
      - requests

Here is the output of anaconda-project prepare

#
# To activate this environment, use
#
#     $ conda activate /Users/adefusco/Desktop/my_project/envs/second_env
#
# To deactivate an active environment, use
#
#     $ conda deactivate

The project is ready to run commands.
Use `anaconda-project list-commands` to see what's available.

[znd4]

This isn't a great answer, but if you want to prepare second_env, you can use anaconda-project prepare --env-spec second_env

I do think that the behavior of only creating the first one is a bit confusing. Would the anaconda-project maintainers be up for a PR to change this behavior? (Or to implement a --all/--allenvs option).

[cjmartian]

Implementing this in #213

[AlbertDeFusco]

fixed