[Windows] Environment has not been activated

[hagamuna]

Hi,

I wanted my base python version to always be updated to the latest version on my Windows machine
However in doing so, conda commands will now always return:
"The system cannot find the path specified"

Simple reproduction

1. install miniconda
   (not Anaconda, this adds a ton of overhead)

Side note: The local user and system %path% variables have more 1048 (or 2048) characters.
(And yes, this path is already reduced by using environment variables)
So conda won't work properly unless we use the 'add to path' checkbox while installing.

2. Restart PC (to ensure path variables work properly)

3. Open a cmd.exe with Administrator

4. Update conda using:
   conda update conda
   Note: This does not seem to update everything, since python version remains 3.7.1, instead of latest 3.7.2

5. Update all packages, to ensure python and all it's packages are updated in the base environment
   conda update --all

6. Start python;
   python

Result:

Python 3.7.2 (default, Feb 21 2019, 17:35:59) [MSC v.1915 64 bit (AMD64)] :: Anaconda, Inc. on win32

Warning:
This Python interpreter is in a conda environment, but the environment has
not been activated. Libraries may fail to load.  To activate this environment
please see https://conda.io/activation

Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.

At least the version seems to be correct :)
Anyway you can already see what is wrong, apparently it expects the environment to be activated.

Lets do that:
activate base
Result
The system cannot find the path specified.

Same goes for deactivation
conda deactivate
Result
The system cannot find the path specified.

[jpgill86]

I'm speculating, but this might be indirectly related to #8404 (comment), specifically the first problem described. You could try the hack described here to see if it fixes your problem.

[msarahan]

This is going to be pretty hard to debug with the information you've provided. What does where conda show on your cmd.exe?

[hagamuna]

where conda

D:\Miniconda3\Library\bin\conda.bat
D:\Miniconda3\Scripts\conda.exe

I looked further into it and it seems that
D:\Miniconda3\Library\bin\conda.bat
internally calls D:\Miniconda3\condabin\conda.bat

I called that second script by hand, which gives the
The system cannot find the path specified.
So it's actually the second script that contains the problem.

I also looked into #8404 (comment), they specify that CONDA_BAT variable might be empty.
In my case is, e.g:

echo %CONDA_BAT%
<returns nothing>

conda activate base
echo %CONDA_BAT%
<returns nothing>

Looking further into D:\Miniconda3\condabin\conda.bat
I added echo statements and it's line 5 and 6 that cause
The system cannot find the path specified.

I think it's this part:
"%~dp0_conda_activate" %*

[hagamuna]

Update solved the second problem, e.g
The system cannot find the path specified.

The solution, run this command in administator cmd prompt.
conda init
Then close the prompt and open a new one.

It seems CONDA_BAT environment variable now works:

conda activate base
echo %CONDA_BAT%
D:\Miniconda3\condabin\conda.bat

[hagamuna]

when i run python in admin cmd prompt, I still get.

Warning:
This Python interpreter is in a conda environment, but the environment has
not been activated. Libraries may fail to load.  To activate this environment
please see https://conda.io/activation

Note: the warning goes away after activating an environment. (which can be base.)

conda activate base
python

Python 3.7.2 (default, Feb 21 2019, 17:35:59) [MSC v.1915 64 bit (AMD64)] :: Anaconda, Inc. on win32
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>>

[mingwandroid]

when i run python in admin cmd prompt, I still get.

Activation has nothing to do with admin.

[msarahan]

admin is also called "elevation" and yes, this is very different from the "activation" that the warning message is telling you to do.

Even without any CONDA_BAT being set, running

<path to miniconda>\Scripts\activate base

works for me. I'm not sure what's causing the system to not be able to find something. It might be spaces or something like that in your install path. With the information you've provided, we can't say anything more. Please always fill out the info requested by the issue template.

[edreamleo]

@msarahan Thanks for this!

My experience today (September 12, 2019):

• Downloaded Anaconda3-2019.07-Windows-x86_64.exe
• Installed Anaconda3 in c:\Anaconda3, with raised permissions, without setting the path in the installer. Not surprisingly, python is not found.
• Added c:\Anaconda3 and c:\Andaconda3\scripts to the path.
  Now typing python from a console gives the warning above.
  Worse, almost all conda operations crashed. Alas, I didn't make a copy of the crash report.
• Following your suggestion, ran c:\Anaconda3\scripts\activate base.
  Now everything appears to work

I don't see anything about this topic in the trouble shooting section.

[mingwandroid]

I think we should try to make our documentation about the correct command line usage of Anaconda Distribution to a more prominent location.

[PraveenGouchandra]

c:\Anaconda3\scripts>activate base This command worked for me too.

[Adesoji1]

C:\Users\soj4y>python
Python 3.7.3 (default, Apr 24 2019, 15:29:51) [MSC v.1915 64 bit (AMD64)] :: Anaconda, Inc. on win32

Warning:
This Python interpreter is in a conda environment, but the environment has
not been activated. Libraries may fail to load. To activate this environment
please see https://conda.io/activation

Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.

How do I activate the environment?

[mingwandroid]

By running conda activate or using the Anaconda Prompt.

[mardhiah34]

@msarahan Thanks for this!

My experience today (September 12, 2019):

• Downloaded Anaconda3-2019.07-Windows-x86_64.exe
• Installed Anaconda3 in c:\Anaconda3, with raised permissions, without setting the path in the installer. Not surprisingly, python is not found.
• Added c:\Anaconda3 and c:\Andaconda3\scripts to the path.
  Now typing python from a console gives the warning above.
  Worse, almost all conda operations crashed. Alas, I didn't make a copy of the crash report.
• Following your suggestion, ran c:\Anaconda3\scripts\activate base.
  Now everything appears to work

I don't see anything about this topic in the trouble shooting section.

hi can you give the proper documentation for this,because im new here. i already followed this step. but when ran the c:\Anaconda\scripts\activate base. The python still appear the same message as above. Please need your consultation.

[mardhiah34]

admin is also called "elevation" and yes, this is very different from the "activation" that the warning message is telling you to do.

Even without any CONDA_BAT being set, running

<path to miniconda>\Scripts\activate base

works for me. I'm not sure what's causing the system to not be able to find something. It might be spaces or something like that in your install path. With the information you've provided, we can't say anything more. Please always fill out the info requested by the issue template.

need your help

[ephantusGachomba]

• Anaconda3\scripts\activate base

thanks for this.worked perfectly

[github-actions]

Hi there, thank you for your contribution to Conda!

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