request more detail in 'sympref diagnose'

[kwanlowe]

Hello:

This is opened in reference to this thread: https://octave.1599824.n4.nabble.com/Octave-unable-to-find-python-when-using-symbolic-toolbox-tt4695912.html#a4695924

To assist with troubleshooting, is it possible to provide the full path to the python binary that is being used? I use Python virtualenv and run Octave either from the host installation (e.g., dnf install octave, apt install octave) or via Snaps or Flatpaks. Teasing out which Python is actually being called can help troubleshoot various issues.

Thanks and best regards,
Kwan

[mtmiller]

is it possible to provide the full path to the python binary

You mean you'd like sympref diagnose to show the full path to whatever python or python3 that it found in the PATH, right?

Just clarifying, at first glance it looked like you were asking if you could "provide" the full path to a Python of your choosing, which yes you can.

[mtmiller]

See also #1008 I opened for a slightly different troubleshooting idea.

[kwanlowe]

Yes, I'd like the sympref diagnose to show the python path that is being used.

I was trying do this with python itself. For example, to get the module info:

octave:25> unix("python3 -c 'help(\"modules\")'|grep -i sympy ")
ans =  1

I couldn't get a working snippet that would output the detail though..

[kwanlowe]

Here's the snippet that should do it:

octave:1> unix("python3 -c 'import sys;  print(sys.executable)'")
/home/kwan/bin/python_venv/p36/bin/python3

[mtmiller]

In OctSymPy terms, that would be

exe = python_cmd ('return sys.executable');

Would you like to work on PR to add this info to diagnose?