Exe launcher fails if there is a space in the path to the interpreter

[vsajip]

Original report by Alex Grönholm (Bitbucket: [Alex Grönholm](https://bitbucket.org/Alex Grönholm), ).

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Steps to reproduce:

1. Create a directory with a space in its name (e.g. "test dir")
2. Go to that directory and create a new virtualenv (e.g. "testenv")
3. Activate said virtualenv
4. Try to pip install anything

[vsajip]

Original changes by Alex Grönholm (Bitbucket: [Alex Grönholm](https://bitbucket.org/Alex Grönholm), ).

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changed content from "Steps the reproduce:

1. Create a directory with a space in its name (e.g. "test dir")

2. Go to that directory and create a new virtualenv (e.g. "testenv")

3. Activate said virtualenv

4. Try to pip install anything" to "Steps the reproduce:

5. Create a directory with a space in its name (e.g. "test dir")

6. Go to that directory and create a new virtualenv (e.g. "testenv")

7. Activate said virtualenv

8. Try to pip install anything"

[vsajip]

Original changes by Alex Grönholm (Bitbucket: [Alex Grönholm](https://bitbucket.org/Alex Grönholm), ).

---

changed content from "Steps the reproduce:

1. Create a directory with a space in its name (e.g. "test dir")

2. Go to that directory and create a new virtualenv (e.g. "testenv")

3. Activate said virtualenv

4. Try to pip install anything" to "Steps to reproduce:

5. Create a directory with a space in its name (e.g. "test dir")

6. Go to that directory and create a new virtualenv (e.g. "testenv")

7. Activate said virtualenv

8. Try to pip install anything"

[vsajip]

Original comment by Paul Moore (Bitbucket: pmoore, GitHub: pmoore).

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Here's a demo:

>cd 'C:\test dir\'
PS 15:35 C:\test dir
>virtualenv testenv
Using base prefix 'C:\\Apps\\Python34'
New python executable in testenv\Scripts\python.exe
Installing setuptools, pip...done.
PS 15:35 {00:10} C:\test dir
>testenv\scripts\activate.ps1
(testenv) PS 15:35 (testenv) C:\test dir
>python -c "import sys; sys.executable"
(testenv) PS 15:35 (testenv) C:\test dir
>pip install wheel
Fatal error in launcher: Unable to create process using '""C:\test dir\testenv\Scripts\python.exe"" "C:\test dir\testenv\Scripts\pip.exe" install wheel'
(testenv) PS 15:35 (testenv) C:\test dir
>python -m pip install wheel
Downloading/unpacking wheel
Installing collected packages: wheel
Successfully installed wheel
Cleaning up...

Note that python -m pip works, which is what indicates to me that it's the launcher that is having the problem with the space in the path.

[vsajip]

Okay, it looks like a change in distlib to put quotes around paths with spaces in them is conflicting with the launcher doing the same thing - hence the double quotes. It would seem like the correct fix would be for the launcher not to add quotes if some are already there.

BTW Alex, props for APScheduler :-)

[vsajip]

@pmoore I've updated the launchers in 07d0757 to avoid double-quoting. I'd appreciate it if you could verify if this fixes the problem.

[vsajip]

Original comment by Paul Moore (Bitbucket: pmoore, GitHub: pmoore).

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Hmm, I cannot reproduce the original issue on the PC I am using at the moment. I'll try to reproduce, and then test the fix, on Monday.

[vsajip]

Original comment by Paul Moore (Bitbucket: pmoore, GitHub: pmoore).

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OK, got it reproduced on my other PC, and this fix sorts out the issue. I'm not sure why it only happens on one of the PCs, but I guess that's less important.

@agronholm Once we get a new distlib release, this will go into pip and then into virtualenv, so it won't appear as a resolution for your issue till then.

[vsajip]

Original comment by Alex Grönholm (Bitbucket: [Alex Grönholm](https://bitbucket.org/Alex Grönholm), ).

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Thanks!

[vsajip]

Original comment by Paul Moore (Bitbucket: pmoore, GitHub: pmoore).

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BTW, I agree with Vinay, APScheduler is very cool

[vsajip]

Original comment by Alex Grönholm (Bitbucket: [Alex Grönholm](https://bitbucket.org/Alex Grönholm), ).

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Double thanks :)

[vsajip]

As this fix should be in distlib version 0.1.9, I'll mark this as resolved.

[vsajip]

Original changes by Vinay Sajip (Bitbucket: vinay.sajip, GitHub: vsajip).

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changed state from "new" to "resolved"

[vsajip]

Original comment by Anonymous.

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I just installed the latest version of python 3 (3.4.2) with latest version of pip (1.5.6) in other directory beyond the default one, same error still occurred:

#!python

C:\Users\Elkan>pip Fatal error in launcher: Unable to create process using '""D:\program files\Pyth on34\python.exe"" "D:\program files\Python34\Scripts\pip.exe" '

It was still after I replaced the .exe files (like t32, t64 etc). So, any more suggestions?
Thanks, best regards.

[vsajip]

I would suggest waiting until a new version of pip comes out. AFAIK, this issue is now resolved in distlib, and it's pip that needs to incorporate the fix in a new release.