Windows PATH environment variable is not set correctly

[OmerFI]

Issue

Windows PATH environment variable is not set correctly

Description

I have created a virtualenv using this command on Windows: virtualenv venv
and I activated it: venv\Scripts\activate.bat

The full path of the virtualenv is this: C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv

But when I try to use pip, the system uses global pip installed on C:\Python310\lib\site-packages\pip instead of C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv\Scripts\pip

I am investigating, what I found is that the PATH environment variable is not set correctly.

My venv\Scripts\activate.bat is something like this:

@set "VIRTUAL_ENV=C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv"
...
@set "PATH=%VIRTUAL_ENV%\Scripts;%PATH%"

But when I try to echo the VIRTUAL_ENV or PATH environment variable
I am seeing this

But when I try to set VIRTUAL_ENV env var manually, there is no problem

Environment

• OS: Windows 11
• virtualenv 20.16.5

Output of the virtual environment creation

Make sure to run the creation with -vvv --with-traceback:

177 setup logging to NOTSET [DEBUG report:35]
203 find interpreter for spec PythonSpec(path=C:\Python310\python.exe) [INFO builtin:56]
203 proposed PythonInfo(spec=CPython3.10.0.final.0-64, exe=C:\Python310\python.exe, platform=win32, version='3.10.0 (tags/v3.10.0:b494f59, Oct  4 2021, 19:00:18) [MSC v.1929 64 bit (AMD64)]', encoding_fs_io=utf-8-utf-8) [INFO builtin:63]
203 accepted PythonInfo(spec=CPython3.10.0.final.0-64, exe=C:\Python310\python.exe, platform=win32, version='3.10.0 (tags/v3.10.0:b494f59, Oct  4 2021, 19:00:18) [MSC v.1929 64 bit (AMD64)]', encoding_fs_io=utf-8-utf-8) [DEBUG builtin:65]
208 symlink on filesystem does not work [DEBUG info:43]
209 filesystem is not case-sensitive [DEBUG info:24]
291 create virtual environment via CPython3Windows(dest=C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv, clear=False, no_vcs_ignore=False, global=False) [INFO session:48]
291 create folder C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv\Lib\site-packages [DEBUG _sync:9]
292 create folder C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv\Scripts [DEBUG _sync:9]
293 write C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv\pyvenv.cfg [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:30]
293     home = C:\Python310 [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:34]
293     implementation = CPython [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:34]
293     version_info = 3.10.0.final.0 [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:34]
293     virtualenv = 20.16.5 [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:34]
294     include-system-site-packages = false [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:34]
294     base-prefix = C:\Python310 [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:34]
294     base-exec-prefix = C:\Python310 [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:34]
294     base-executable = C:\Python310\python.exe [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:34]
295 copy C:\Python310\Lib\venv\scripts\nt\python.exe to C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv\Scripts\python.exe [DEBUG _sync:36]
297 copy C:\Python310\Lib\venv\scripts\nt\pythonw.exe to C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv\Scripts\pythonw.exe [DEBUG _sync:36]
299 create virtualenv import hook file C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv\Lib\site-packages\_virtualenv.pth [DEBUG api:89]
300 create C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv\Lib\site-packages\_virtualenv.py [DEBUG api:92]
302 ============================== target debug ============================== [DEBUG session:50]
303 debug via 'C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv\Scripts\python.exe' 'C:\Python310\lib\site-packages\virtualenv\create\debug.py' [DEBUG creator:197]
303 {
  "sys": {
    "executable": "C:\\Users\\omerg\\Desktop\\\u00d6mer\\venv\\Scripts\\python.exe",
    "_base_executable": "C:\\Python310\\python.exe",
    "prefix": "C:\\Users\\omerg\\Desktop\\\u00d6mer\\venv",
    "base_prefix": "C:\\Python310",
    "real_prefix": null,
    "exec_prefix": "C:\\Users\\omerg\\Desktop\\\u00d6mer\\venv",
    "base_exec_prefix": "C:\\Python310",
    "path": [
      "C:\\Python310\\python310.zip",
      "C:\\Python310\\DLLs",
      "C:\\Python310\\lib",
      "C:\\Python310",
      "C:\\Users\\omerg\\Desktop\\\u00d6mer\\venv",
      "C:\\Users\\omerg\\Desktop\\\u00d6mer\\venv\\lib\\site-packages"
    ],
    "meta_path": [
      "<class '_virtualenv._Finder'>",
      "<class '_frozen_importlib.BuiltinImporter'>",
      "<class '_frozen_importlib.FrozenImporter'>",
      "<class '_frozen_importlib_external.PathFinder'>"
    ],
    "fs_encoding": "utf-8",
    "io_encoding": "cp1254"
  },
  "version": "3.10.0 (tags/v3.10.0:b494f59, Oct  4 2021, 19:00:18) [MSC v.1929 64 bit (AMD64)]",
  "makefile_filename": "C:\\Python310\\Lib\\config\\Makefile",
  "os": "<module 'os' from 'C:\\\\Python310\\\\lib\\\\os.py'>",
  "site": "<module 'site' from 'C:\\\\Python310\\\\lib\\\\site.py'>",
  "datetime": "<module 'datetime' from 'C:\\\\Python310\\\\lib\\\\datetime.py'>",
  "math": "<module 'math' (built-in)>",
  "json": "<module 'json' from 'C:\\\\Python310\\\\lib\\\\json\\\\__init__.py'>"
} [DEBUG session:51]
459 add seed packages via FromAppData(download=False, pip=bundle, setuptools=bundle, wheel=bundle, via=copy, app_data_dir=C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv) [INFO session:55]
466 got embed update of distribution pip from C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\embed\3\pip.json [DEBUG via_disk_folder:129]
467 got embed update of distribution setuptools from C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\embed\3\setuptools.json [DEBUG via_disk_folder:129]
467 got embed update of distribution wheel from C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\embed\3\wheel.json [DEBUG via_disk_folder:129]
476 got embed update of distribution pip from C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\embed\3\pip.json [DEBUG via_disk_folder:129]
476 got embed update of distribution setuptools from C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\embed\3\setuptools.json [DEBUG via_disk_folder:129]
477 got embed update of distribution wheel from C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\embed\3\wheel.json [DEBUG via_disk_folder:129]
479 install pip from wheel C:\Python310\lib\site-packages\virtualenv\seed\wheels\embed\pip-22.2.2-py3-none-any.whl via CopyPipInstall [DEBUG via_app_data:47]
480 install setuptools from wheel C:\Python310\lib\site-packages\virtualenv\seed\wheels\embed\setuptools-65.3.0-py3-none-any.whl via CopyPipInstall [DEBUG via_app_data:47]
480 install wheel from wheel C:\Python310\lib\site-packages\virtualenv\seed\wheels\embed\wheel-0.37.1-py2.py3-none-any.whl via CopyPipInstall [DEBUG via_app_data:47]
481 Attempting to acquire lock 2582021659696 on C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\pip-22.2.2-py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:172]
481 Attempting to acquire lock 2582021661808 on C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\setuptools-65.3.0-py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:172]
482 Lock 2582021659696 acquired on C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\pip-22.2.2-py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:176]
482 Lock 2582021661808 acquired on C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\setuptools-65.3.0-py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:176]
482 Attempting to acquire lock 2582021662816 on C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\wheel-0.37.1-py2.py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:172]
483 Attempting to release lock 2582021659696 on C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\pip-22.2.2-py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:209]
483 Attempting to release lock 2582021661808 on C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\setuptools-65.3.0-py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:209]
483 Lock 2582021662816 acquired on C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\wheel-0.37.1-py2.py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:176]
484 Lock 2582021659696 released on C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\pip-22.2.2-py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:212]
484 Lock 2582021661808 released on C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\setuptools-65.3.0-py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:212]
485 Attempting to release lock 2582021662816 on C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\wheel-0.37.1-py2.py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:209]
485 copy directory C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\pip-22.2.2-py3-none-any\pip to C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv\Lib\site-packages\pip [DEBUG _sync:36]
486 Lock 2582021662816 released on C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\wheel-0.37.1-py2.py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:212]
486 copy C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\setuptools-65.3.0-py3-none-any\distutils-precedence.pth to C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv\Lib\site-packages\distutils-precedence.pth [DEBUG _sync:36]
487 copy directory C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\wheel-0.37.1-py2.py3-none-any\wheel to C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv\Lib\site-packages\wheel [DEBUG _sync:36]
488 copy directory C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\setuptools-65.3.0-py3-none-any\pkg_resources to C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv\Lib\site-packages\pkg_resources [DEBUG _sync:36]
520 copy directory C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\wheel-0.37.1-py2.py3-none-any\wheel-0.37.1.dist-info to C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv\Lib\site-packages\wheel-0.37.1.dist-info [DEBUG _sync:36]
531 copy C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\wheel-0.37.1-py2.py3-none-any\wheel-0.37.1.virtualenv to C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv\Lib\site-packages\wheel-0.37.1.virtualenv [DEBUG _sync:36]
540 generated console scripts wheel.exe wheel3.10.exe wheel3.exe wheel-3.10.exe [DEBUG base:41]
567 copy directory C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\setuptools-65.3.0-py3-none-any\setuptools to C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv\Lib\site-packages\setuptools [DEBUG _sync:36]
814 copy directory C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\setuptools-65.3.0-py3-none-any\setuptools-65.3.0.dist-info to C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv\Lib\site-packages\setuptools-65.3.0.dist-info [DEBUG _sync:36]
825 copy C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\setuptools-65.3.0-py3-none-any\setuptools-65.3.0.virtualenv to C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv\Lib\site-packages\setuptools-65.3.0.virtualenv [DEBUG _sync:36]
826 copy directory C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\setuptools-65.3.0-py3-none-any\_distutils_hack to C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv\Lib\site-packages\_distutils_hack [DEBUG _sync:36]
833 generated console scripts  [DEBUG base:41]
1118 copy directory C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\pip-22.2.2-py3-none-any\pip-22.2.2.dist-info to C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv\Lib\site-packages\pip-22.2.2.dist-info [DEBUG _sync:36]
1129 copy C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv\wheel\3.10\image\1\CopyPipInstall\pip-22.2.2-py3-none-any\pip-22.2.2.virtualenv to C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv\Lib\site-packages\pip-22.2.2.virtualenv [DEBUG _sync:36]
1135 generated console scripts pip.exe pip3.10.exe pip3.exe pip-3.10.exe [DEBUG base:41]
1136 add activators for Bash, Batch, Fish, Nushell, PowerShell, Python [INFO session:61]
1145 write C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv\pyvenv.cfg [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:30]
1145    home = C:\Python310 [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:34]
1146    implementation = CPython [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:34]
1146    version_info = 3.10.0.final.0 [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:34]
1147    virtualenv = 20.16.5 [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:34]
1147    include-system-site-packages = false [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:34]
1147    base-prefix = C:\Python310 [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:34]
1148    base-exec-prefix = C:\Python310 [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:34]
1148    base-executable = C:\Python310\python.exe [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:34]
1149 created virtual environment CPython3.10.0.final.0-64 in 978ms
  creator CPython3Windows(dest=C:\Users\omerg\Desktop\Ömer\venv, clear=False, no_vcs_ignore=False, global=False)
  seeder FromAppData(download=False, pip=bundle, setuptools=bundle, wheel=bundle, via=copy, app_data_dir=C:\Users\omerg\AppData\Local\pypa\virtualenv)
    added seed packages: pip==22.2.2, setuptools==65.3.0, wheel==0.37.1
  activators BashActivator,BatchActivator,FishActivator,NushellActivator,PowerShellActivator,PythonActivator [WARNING __main__:17]

[OmerFI]

@uranusjr said the following about the activate.bat file in Discord:

[skewballfox]

Note this also seems to be an issue powershell:

 C:\Users\<user>\<project>> .\.venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1 -Verbose                       
VERBOSE: Activation script is located in path: 'C:\Users\<user>\<project>\.venv\Scripts'              
VERBOSE: VenvExecDir Fullname: 'C:\Users\<user>\<project>\.venv\Scripts                               
VERBOSE: VenvExecDir Name: 'Scripts                                                                                     
VERBOSE: VenvDir not given as a parameter, using parent directory name as VenvDir.                                      
VERBOSE: VenvDir=C:\Users\<user>\<project>\.venv                                                      
VERBOSE: Given ConfigDir=C:\Users\<user>\<project>\.venv, obtain values in pyvenv.cfg                 
VERBOSE: File exists, parse key = value lines                                                                           
VERBOSE: Adding Key:                                                                                                    
'home'='C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\PythonSoftwareFoundation.Python.3.10_<instance>'         
VERBOSE: Adding Key: 'include-system-site-packages'='false'                                                             
VERBOSE: Adding Key: 'version'='3.10.7'                                                                                 
VERBOSE: Prompt not specified as argument to script, checking pyvenv.cfg value                                          
VERBOSE:   Setting prompt based on parent's directory's name. (Is the directory name passed to venv module when creating the virtual environment)                                                                                       
VERBOSE:   Got leaf-name of C:\Users\<user>\<project>\.venv='.venv'                                   
VERBOSE: Prompt = '.venv'                                                                                               
VERBOSE: VenvDir='C:\Users\<user>\<project>\.venv'                                                   
VERBOSE: Setting prompt to '.venv'                                                                                      
(.venv) PS C:\Users\<user>\<project>> echo $PATH                                                      
(.venv) PS C:\Users\<user>\<project>> echo $VIRTUAL_ENV                                               
(.venv) PS C:\Users\<user>\<project>> echo $HOME                                                      
C:\Users\<user>                                                                                                         

this was causing an issue where pip was failing to install any c++ dependencies because of an incorrect include path.
ps that unterminated string was part of the output, not a formatting issue

[gaborbernat]

PR welcome.

[jowodo]

Hi,

I'm on a Windows 10+powershell+python from Microsoft Store and I have the same behavior.

[pfmoore]

Powershell syntax for displaying an environment variable is echo $env:PATH. You missed out the env:.

[jowodo]

@pfmoore true, thanks!