Python env resolver ignores user specified interpreter

[dta-bdai]

Type: Bug

We have a wrapper around a Bazel generated script that launches the Python interpreter inside Bazel with all environment variables and Python paths setup properly, pointing to the correct locations of Python packages and dependencies inside Bazel runfiles dir. The technique is similar to this: https://sransara.com/notes/2023/bazel-python-venv/

We point VSCode Python interpreter to the wrapper script, and it used to work well.

Since version 2024.18.0, this workflow does not work anymore. Python extension ignores the wrapper we specified and automatically finds and switches to the bare python interpreter in the script runfiles dir, which doesn't have any path setup.

Is there a way to revive the old mechanism, i.e. forcing VSCode to respect the user-specified Python interpreter path?

Extension version: 2024.22.2
VS Code version: Code 1.96.2 (fabdb6a30b49f79a7aba0f2ad9df9b399473380f, 2024-12-19T10:22:47.216Z)
OS version: Linux x64 6.8.0-51-generic
Modes:
Remote OS version: Linux x64 6.8.0-1017-gcp

• Python version (& distribution if applicable, e.g. Anaconda): 3.10.15
• Type of virtual environment used (e.g. conda, venv, virtualenv, etc.): Unknown
• Value of the python.languageServer setting: Pylance

User Settings

languageServer: "Pylance"

Installed Extensions

Extension Name	Extension Id	Version
Bazel	BazelBuild.vscode-bazel	0.11.0
Black Formatter	ms-python.black-formatter	2024.4.0
GitHub Pull Requests	GitHub.vscode-pull-request-github	0.102.0
Image Manager	Minko.image-manager	2.3.13
Image Viewer	vscode-infra.image-viewer	1.6.5
JavaScript Debugger	ms-vscode.js-debug	1.96.0
Jupyter	ms-toolsai.jupyter	2024.11.0
Jupyter Cell Tags	ms-toolsai.vscode-jupyter-cell-tags	0.1.9
Jupyter Notebook Renderers	ms-toolsai.jupyter-renderers	1.0.21
Jupyter Slide Show	ms-toolsai.vscode-jupyter-slideshow	0.1.6
Pylance	ms-python.vscode-pylance	2024.12.1
Python	ms-python.python	2024.22.2
Python Debugger	ms-python.debugpy	2024.14.0
Table Visualizer for JavaScript Profiles	ms-vscode.vscode-js-profile-table	1.0.10

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	13th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-1365U (12 x 1360)
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: disabled_software vulkan: disabled_off webgl: enabled webgl2: enabled webgpu: disabled_off webnn: disabled_off
Load (avg)	1, 1, 1
Memory (System)	31.00GB (16.96GB free)
Process Argv	--crash-reporter-id ec7e8904-7db5-4f73-ba38-b9376943463d
Screen Reader	no
VM	0%
DESKTOP_SESSION	ubuntu
XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP	Unity
XDG_SESSION_DESKTOP	ubuntu
XDG_SESSION_TYPE	x11

Item	Value
Remote	Container ghcr.io/bdaiinstitute/dmm_amd64:main (starfish-develop) @ vm2-local
OS	Linux x64 6.8.0-1017-gcp
CPUs	Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU @ 2.30GHz (32 x 0)
Memory (System)	117.91GB (108.33GB free)
VM	0%

A/B Experiments

vsliv368:30146709
vspor879:30202332
vspor708:30202333
vspor363:30204092
pythonvspyt551cf:31179979
vscod805cf:30301675
binariesv615:30325510
vsaa593cf:30376535
py29gd2263:31024239
vscaac:30438847
c4g48928:30535728
azure-dev_surveyonecf:30548226
vscrpc:30673769
a9j8j154:30646983
962ge761:30959799
pythonnoceb:30805159
pythonmypyd1:30879173
h48ei257:31000450
pythontbext0:30879054
cppperfnew:31000557
dwnewjupyter:31046869
nativerepl2:31139839
pythonrstrctxt:31112756
nativeloc2:31192216
iacca1:31171482
5fd0e150:31155592
dwcopilot:31170013
stablechunks:31184530
6074i472:31201624
dwoutputs:31217127
hdaa2157:31222309
copilot_t_ci:31222730

[karthiknadig]

@dta-bdai Can you share the logs with the broken case? share the Output > Python, and Output> Python Locator logs.

The work around is to use python.locator to js. But note that it is our old locator, it is getting replaced with native locator. So the logs you provide will be help full in make sure this is supported.

[dta-bdai]

Thanks! Confirmed that js locator doesn't suffer from this problem.

Here are the logs for the native locator:

Output > Python:

2025-02-03 22:34:27.549 [debug] Interpreter Path updated attached-container_WORKSPACE_FOLDER_INTERPRETER_PATH_/home/dta/starfish /home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python
2025-02-03 22:34:27.552 [debug] Testing: Triggered refresh due to interpreter change.
2025-02-03 22:34:27.552 [debug] Testing: Clearing all discovered tests
2025-02-03 22:34:27.552 [debug] Testing: Forcing test data refresh
2025-02-03 22:34:27.552 [debug] Testing: Refreshing all test data
2025-02-03 22:34:27.587 [debug] Extension ms-python.vscode-pylance accessed getActiveEnvironmentPath with args: undefined
2025-02-03 22:34:27.588 [debug] Python API env change detected /home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python.runfiles/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu/bin/python add
2025-02-03 22:34:27.589 [info] Discover tests for workspace name: starfish - uri: /home/dta/starfish
2025-02-03 22:34:27.590 [info] Python interpreter path: ./bazel-bin/my_python.runfiles/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu/bin/python
2025-02-03 22:34:27.595 [debug] could not find a pixi interpreter for the interpreter at /home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python.runfiles/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu/bin/python
2025-02-03 22:34:27.600 [debug] Extension ms-python.vscode-pylance accessed resolveEnvironment with args: {"id":"/home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python","path":"/home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python"}
2025-02-03 22:34:27.666 [debug] Extension ms-python.vscode-pylance accessed getActiveEnvironmentPath with args: undefined
2025-02-03 22:34:27.667 [debug] Extension ms-python.vscode-pylance accessed getEnvironmentVariables with args: undefined
2025-02-03 22:34:27.667 [debug] Extension ms-python.vscode-pylance accessed resolveEnvironment with args: {"id":"/home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python","path":"/home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python"}
2025-02-03 22:34:27.703 [debug] Activation Commands received undefined for shell /usr/bin/bash, resource /home/dta/starfish and interpreter /home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python.runfiles/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu/bin/python
2025-02-03 22:34:27.704 [debug] Activated environment variables for /home/dta/starfish undefined

Output > Python Locator:

2025-02-03 22:34:27.560 [debug] Resolving env "/home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python"
2025-02-03 22:34:27.562 [debug] PyEnv Info PyEnvInfo { exe: None, versions: None, version: None }
2025-02-03 22:34:27.562 [debug] PyEnv Info PyEnvInfo { exe: None, versions: None, version: None }
2025-02-03 22:34:27.582 [info] Env ("/home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python") in Path resolved as ResolvedPythonEnv { executable: "/home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python.runfiles/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu/bin/python3", prefix: "/home/dta/.cache/bazel/_bazel_dta/8c493c99c7acff6adb3677a40a7c7316/external/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu", version: "3.10.16.final.0", is64_bit: true, symlinks: Some(["/home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python", "/home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python.runfiles/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu/bin/python3"]) } and reported as None
2025-02-03 22:34:27.583 [debug] In resolve_environment, Resolved Python Exe "/home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python.runfiles/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu/bin/python" as ResolvedPythonEnv { executable: "/home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python.runfiles/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu/bin/python", prefix: "/home/dta/.cache/bazel/_bazel_dta/8c493c99c7acff6adb3677a40a7c7316/external/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu", version: "3.10.16.final.0", is64_bit: true, symlinks: Some(["/home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python.runfiles/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu/bin/python", "/home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python.runfiles/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu/bin/python3", "/home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python.runfiles/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu/bin/python3.10"]) }
2025-02-03 22:34:27.583 [debug] Using cache from "/home/dta/.vscode-server/data/User/globalStorage/ms-python.python/pythonLocator/8f3db1484a42f72e.3.json" for "/home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python.runfiles/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu/bin/python"
2025-02-03 22:34:27.585 [debug] Updating cache for "/home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python.runfiles/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu/bin/python" with new symlinks
2025-02-03 22:34:27.586 [debug] Caching interpreter info for "/home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python.runfiles/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu/bin/python"
2025-02-03 22:34:27.586 [debug] Caching "/home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python.runfiles/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu/bin/python" in "/home/dta/.vscode-server/data/User/globalStorage/ms-python.python/pythonLocator/8f3db1484a42f72e.3.json"
2025-02-03 22:34:27.586 [debug] Resolved env (Ok(32.54288ms)) "/home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python" as PythonEnvironment { display_name: None, name: None, executable: Some("/home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python.runfiles/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu/bin/python"), kind: None, version: Some("3.10.16.final.0"), prefix: Some("/home/dta/.cache/bazel/_bazel_dta/8c493c99c7acff6adb3677a40a7c7316/external/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu"), manager: None, project: None, arch: Some(X64), symlinks: Some(["/home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python.runfiles/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu/bin/python", "/home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python.runfiles/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu/bin/python3", "/home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python.runfiles/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu/bin/python3.10"]) }
2025-02-03 22:34:27.587 [info] Resolved Python Environment /home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python.runfiles/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu/bin/python

The path I chose is /home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python, and it's automatically resolved to /home/dta/starfish/bazel-bin/my_python.runfiles/rules_python~~python~python_3_10_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu/bin/python.

[github-actions]

Hey @karthiknadig, this issue might need further attention.

@dta-bdai, you can help us out by closing this issue if the problem no longer exists, or adding more information.

[afeld]

Possibly related: #23833

[TSonono]

We have a similar use case where we have a wrapper to a python executable that sets applicable environment variables and this has been working fine before. I also cannot set the python.locator setting in my workspace nor user settings JSON (I'm seeing this: "This setting can only be applied in user settings in local window or in remote settings in remote window.
").

I have one vscode client which is seemingly not using the native locator, but in a fresh install of vs code I got the native locator and that's where I'm running into this issue.

@karthiknadig any idea if this will be fixed anytime soon?