add proper conda env support for RunPython

[timeregained]

OS (e.g. Windows 10 or macOS Sierra)

Windows 10 64bit 1709

Versions of xlwings, Excel and Python (e.g. 0.11.8, Office 365, Python 3.7)

0.12.1(xlwings-0.12.1-py37_0), Office 365, Python 3.7 distributed by anaconda(python-3.7.0-hea74fb7_0)

Describe your issue (incl. Traceback!)

When I click Run button of simulation.xlsm in this repo's eamples, an import error occurs which having flowing traceback:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "", line 1, in 
File "C:\Users\someone\AppData\Local\Continuum\miniconda3\lib\site-packages\numpy_init_.py", line 142, in 
from . import add_newdocs
File "C:\Users\someone\AppData\Local\Continuum\miniconda3\lib\site-packages\numpy\add_newdocs.py", line 13, in 
from numpy.lib import add_newdoc
File "C:\Users\someone\AppData\Local\Continuum\miniconda3\lib\site-packages\numpy\lib_init_.py", line 8, in 
from .type_check import *
File "C:\Users\someone\AppData\Local\Continuum\miniconda3\lib\site-packages\numpy\lib\type_check.py", line 11, in 
import numpy.core.numeric as nx
File "C:\Users\someone\AppData\Local\Continuum\miniconda3\lib\site-packages\numpy\core_init.py", line 26, in 
raise ImportError(msg)
ImportError:
Importing the multiarray numpy extension module failed. Most
likely you are trying to import a failed build of numpy.
If you're working with a numpy git repo, try git clean -xdf (removes all
files not under version control). Otherwise reinstall numpy.

This issue only happened when I have upgraded python from 3.6 to 3.7 within anaconda. So I have created an issue #10205 in anaconda-issues which has been soon closed by anaconda engineer. As his description:

I removed a hack deep in the guts of our python recently whereby it modified the PATH environment variable if it detected activation may not have happened correctly. This breaks countless things in 3rd party software.

I have no choice but wish your team would follow the change to make xlwings working again if scripts using some numpy function.

Include a minimal code sample to reproduce the issue (and attach a sample workbook if required!)

Just the demo simulation could repeat this issue.

It seems only related to scripts which has involve numpy now, but it might bring same issues to some other 3rd packages.

[fzumstein]

this might be a bit of an effort to fix, but from what I understand, as a current workaround you can use the numpy version installed with pip.

[fzumstein]

I could not replicate this with a conda env with the following versions:

conda: 4.5.11
python: 3.7.1
numpy: 1.15.4
xlwings: 0.12.1 and latest

is this still happening on your side?

[timeregained]

@fzumstein

The issue still exits on my current conda env:
conda: 4.15.2
python: 3.7.1
numpy: 1.15.4
xlwings: 0.15.1

[fzumstein]

ok thanks seems I wasnt on the right conda version - will try again!

[fzumstein]

Ok I was able to replicate. Another work around seems to be when you add the paths of your conda base installation to your PATH env variable (either by selecting the according option at the end of the installer or manually):

C:\...\Anaconda3
C:\...\Anaconda3\Scripts
C:\...\Anaconda3\Library\bin
C:\...\Anaconda3\usr\bin
C:\...\Anaconda3\mingw-w64\bin

[timeregained]

@fzumstein , Yes , adding these path to environment variable works, however, the anaconda team does not recommend to do adding to PATH in their installer. Instead, they recommend to activate conda envs by manually calling activate script(e.g. the anaconda command prompt). So is there any way to add some procedure to activate conda envs in your addin ?

[fzumstein]

sure, as I said, it's a workaround (although I admittedly don't really understand the big issue about adding to PATH). Making it work properly is certainly possible but as it's possibly a bit of work and there's a reasonable workaround it's not at the very top of my list.

[idahopotato1]

Hello
I have the same issue when I tried to run any of the sample examples downloaded from https://www.xlwings.org/examples, if it involves numpy.
Do you think there will be a fix any time soon? Thank you for the excellent product.

Thank you
Eddie

[idahopotato1]

Actually, I uninstalled and reinstalled Anaconda and made sure to add the path at the end of the installation process. It worked. Thank you