conda environment fails to apply to terminal

[stevenh]

Type: Bug

Behaviour

If you have the extension set to conda for managing virtual environments it fails to apply to terminals due to a pathing error:

/opt/homebrew/anaconda3/bin/conda activate open-webui

CondaError: Run 'conda init' before 'conda activate'

The cause of this is the use of fully qualifed path as detailed here: conda/conda#14649

In summary as conda activate is shell function not an argument that should be passed to the conda binary it should not be pathed. This should be run instead:

conda activate open-webui

It should be noted that as the setup of shell function is async, there should be a short delay before sending otherwise the function could be called before the shell has chance to define it. In my case this was bash shell on mac.

Steps to reproduce:

1. Configure Default Env Manager to: ms-python.python:conda
2. Select an environment
3. Start a terminal

In my case I'm on a Mac, not sure if the behaviour is the same on all platforms.

Diagnostic data

2025-03-06 09:42:51.079 [info] Send text to terminal: /opt/homebrew/anaconda3/bin/conda activate open-webui

Extension version: 2025.2.0
VS Code version: Code 1.98.0 (Universal) (6609ac3d66f4eade5cf376d1cb76f13985724bcb, 2025-03-04T21:06:18.612Z)
OS version: Darwin arm64 24.3.0
Modes:
Remote OS version: Linux arm64 6.10.14-linuxkit

• Python version (& distribution if applicable, e.g. Anaconda): 3.12.7
• Type of virtual environment used (e.g. conda, venv, virtualenv, etc.): Conda
• Value of the python.languageServer setting: Default

User Settings

languageServer: "Pylance"

Installed Extensions

Extension Name	Extension Id	Version
autopep8	ms-	2025.2.0
black-formatter	ms-	2025.2.0
cmake-tools	ms-	1.20.53
code-spell-checker	str	4.0.40
copilot	Git	1.277.0
copilot-chat	Git	0.25.0
cpptools	ms-	1.23.6
cpptools-extension-pack	ms-	1.3.1
cpptools-themes	ms-	2.0.0
csdevkit	ms-	1.16.6
csharp	ms-	2.63.32
debugpy	ms-	2025.4.0
EditorConfig	Edi	0.17.1
even-better-toml	tam	0.21.2
gitblame	wad	11.1.2
github-markdown-preview	bie	0.3.0
go	gol	0.46.1
html-preview-vscode	geo	0.2.5
intellicode-api-usage-examples	Vis	0.2.9
isort	ms-	2023.10.1
java	red	1.40.0
jenkins-doc	Maa	1.7.0
jenkins-extension-pack	Don	0.1.1
js-debug	ms-	1.97.1
js-debug-companion	ms-	1.1.3
jupyter	ms-	2025.2.0
jupyter-keymap	ms-	1.1.2
jupyter-renderers	ms-	1.1.0
kotlin	fwc	0.2.36
Kotlin	mat	1.7.1
makefile-tools	ms-	0.12.17
markdown-all-in-one	yzh	3.6.2
markdown-checkbox	bie	0.4.0
markdown-emoji	bie	0.3.1
markdown-footnotes	bie	0.1.1
markdown-mermaid	bie	1.27.0
markdown-preview-github-styles	bie	2.1.0
markdown-yaml-preamble	bie	0.1.0
materialdesignicons-intellisense	luk	4.1.0
md-link-checker	dly	0.4.0
powershell	ms-	2025.0.0
prettier-vscode	esb	11.0.0
python	ms-	2025.2.0
rainbow-csv	mec	3.17.0
remote-containers	ms-	0.401.0
remote-wsl	ms-	0.88.5
rest-client	hum	0.25.1
ruff	cha	2025.14.0
rust-analyzer	rus	0.3.2330
selected-lines-count	gur	1.4.0
test-adapter-converter	ms-	0.2.1
vacuum	pb3	0.0.7
vs-code-runner	Har	2.2.5
vscode-buf	buf	0.7.0
vscode-conventional-commits	viv	1.26.0
vscode-docker	ms-	1.29.4
vscode-dotnet-runtime	ms-	2.2.8
vscode-eslint	dba	3.0.10
vscode-github-actions	git	0.27.1
vscode-gradle	vsc	3.16.4
vscode-home-assistant	kee	1.43.0
vscode-java-debug	vsc	0.58.1
vscode-java-dependency	vsc	0.24.1
vscode-java-pack	vsc	0.29.0
vscode-java-test	vsc	0.43.0
vscode-js-profile-table	ms-	1.0.10
vscode-jupyter-cell-tags	ms-	0.1.9
vscode-jupyter-slideshow	ms-	0.1.6
vscode-just-syntax	nef	0.8.0
vscode-markdownlint	Dav	0.59.0
vscode-maven	vsc	0.44.0
vscode-mocha-test-adapter	hbe	2.14.1
vscode-proto3	zxh	0.5.5
vscode-pylance	ms-	2025.2.1
vscode-python-envs	ms-	0.3.10561010
vscode-test-explorer	hbe	2.22.1
vscode-thunder-client	ran	2.34.2
vscode-xml	red	0.28.0
vscode-yaml	red	1.16.0
vscodeintellicode	Vis	1.3.2
vscodeintellicode-csharp	ms-	2.2.3
vstuc	vis	1.1.0

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	Apple M3 Max (16 x 2400)
GPU Status	2d_canvas: enabled canvas_oop_rasterization: enabled_on direct_rendering_display_compositor: disabled_off_ok gpu_compositing: enabled multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on opengl: enabled_on rasterization: enabled raw_draw: disabled_off_ok skia_graphite: disabled_off video_decode: enabled video_encode: enabled webgl: enabled webgl2: enabled webgpu: enabled webnn: disabled_off
Load (avg)	1, 2, 3
Memory (System)	48.00GB (0.23GB free)
Process Argv	--crash-reporter-id bdc08fa1-0c7a-47e2-b1e5-75fcd9508d56
Screen Reader	no
VM	0%

Item	Value
Remote	Dev Container: Home Assistant Dev @ desktop-linux
OS	Linux arm64 6.10.14-linuxkit
CPUs	unknown (11 x 0)
Memory (System)	17.54GB (13.08GB free)
VM	0%

A/B Experiments

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vspor879:30202332
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vspor363:30204092
vscod805cf:30301675
binariesv615:30325510
py29gd2263:31024239
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azure-dev_surveyone:30548225
962ge761:30959799
h48ei257:31000450
pythontbext0:30879054
cppperfnew:31000557
dwnewjupytercf:31046870
nativerepl1:31139838
pythonrstrctxt:31112756
nativeloc1:31192215
iacca1:31171482
5fd0e150:31155592
dwcopilot:31170013
6074i472:31201624
dwoutputs:31242946
customenabled:31248079
hdaa2157:31222309
copilot_t_ci:31222730
jda6j935:31233686
cp15370_c:31242498
copilothoveron:31248524

[karthiknadig]

@stevenh A temporary workaround is to set python.condaPath to conda.

[eleanorjboyd]

Hi! We have made significant changes to how conda works in the extension and it should have fixed this problem. Please give it a try and let me know if you are still experiencing issues.

[github-actions]

Because we have not heard back with the information we requested, we are closing this issue for now. If you are able to provide the info later on, then we will be happy to re-open this issue to pick up where we left off.

Happy Coding!

[stevenh]

Thanks for the updates, we've moved away from conda to uv so haven't been able to test this I'm afraid. If someone else is still using I'm sure they will re-raise if its still an issue.