Python ignores the .env file

[rhalaly]

Type: Bug

Behaviour

Setting python.envFile to .env ignores it and the environment variables are not found at runtime.

Steps to reproduce:

1. Set python.envFile to ${workspaceFolder}/.env under User settings.
2. Create .env file in the repo's root.
3. Run python code that uses one of the environment variables defined in the .env (or even PYTHONPATH)

Diagnostic data

Output for Python in the Output panel (View→Output, change the drop-down the upper-right of the Output panel to Python)

2024-11-25 13:18:09.867 [info] > & ./.venv/Scripts/Activate.ps1 ; echo 'e8b39361-0157-4923-80e1-22d70d46dee6' ; python ~/.vscode/extensions/ms-python.python-2024.20.0-win32-x64/python_files/printEnvVariables.py
2024-11-25 13:18:09.867 [info] shell: powershellCore
2024-11-25 13:18:09.889 [info] > & ./.venv/Scripts/Activate.ps1 ; echo 'e8b39361-0157-4923-80e1-22d70d46dee6' ; python ~/.vscode/extensions/ms-python.python-2024.20.0-win32-x64/python_files/printEnvVariables.py
2024-11-25 13:18:09.889 [info] shell: powershellCore
2024-11-25 13:18:10.092 [info] Discover tests for workspace name: undefined - uri: *****\AppData\Roaming\Code\User\settings.json
2024-11-25 13:18:10.092 [info] Running discovery for pytest using the new test adapter.
2024-11-25 13:18:10.092 [error] Unable to find workspace for given file
2024-11-25 13:18:10.429 [info] Prepending environment variable PATH in collection to *****\.vscode\extensions\ms-python.python-2024.20.0-win32-x64\python_files\deactivate\powershell;*****\.venv\Scripts;C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7;C:\Program Files (x86)\Razer Chroma SDK\bin;C:\Program Files\Razer Chroma SDK\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Razer\ChromaBroadcast\bin;C:\Program Files\Razer\ChromaBroadcast\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Intel\Shared Libraries\redist\intel64\compiler;C:\Program Files\NVIDIA GPU Computing Toolkit\CUDA\v11.8\bin;C:\Program Files\NVIDIA GPU Computing Toolkit\CUDA\v11.8\libnvvp;C:\Program Files\Python39\Scripts\;C:\Program Files\Python39\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft\jdk-11.0.16.101-hotspot\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Azure\CLI2\wbin;C:\Program Files\Eclipse Adoptium\jdk-11.0.16.101-hotspot\bin;C:\Program Files\Microsoft HPC Pack 2019\Bin\;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\Program Files\dotnet\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\Client SDK\ODBC\170\Tools\Binn\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\150\Tools\Binn\;C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\NVIDIA NvDLISR;C:\Program Files (x86)\Android\android-sdk\platform-tools;*****\AppData\Roaming\nvm;C:\Program Files\nodejs;C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\bin;*****\AppData\Local\Android\Sdk\cmake\3.10.2.4988404\bin;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\WINDOWS\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\PhysX\Common;C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Nsight Compute 2022.3.0\;C:\Program Files\OpenSSL-Win64\bin;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Service Fabric\bin\Fabric\Fabric.Code;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Service Fabric\Tools\ServiceFabricLocalClusterManager;C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\WINDOWS\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7\;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd;C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\resources\bin;*****\AppData\Local\CloudBuild;*****\.pyenv\pyenv-win\bin;*****\.pyenv\pyenv-win\shims;*****\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python37\Scripts\;*****\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python37\;*****\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;*****\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\bin;*****\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX\miktex\bin\x64\;C:\Tools\rclone;*****\AppData\Roaming\nvm;C:\Program Files\nodejs;*****\.dotnet\tools;*****\.dotnet\tools;*****\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;*****\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code Insiders\bin; {"applyAtShellIntegration":true,"applyAtProcessCreation":true}
2024-11-25 13:18:10.429 [info] Setting environment variable PYTHONPATH in collection to . {"applyAtShellIntegration":true,"applyAtProcessCreation":true}
2024-11-25 13:18:10.430 [info] Setting environment variable VIRTUAL_ENV in collection to *****\.venv {"applyAtShellIntegration":true,"applyAtProcessCreation":true}
2024-11-25 13:18:10.430 [info] Setting environment variable VIRTUAL_ENV_PROMPT in collection to .venv {"applyAtShellIntegration":true,"applyAtProcessCreation":true}
2024-11-25 13:18:10.430 [info] Setting environment variable VSCODE_L10N_BUNDLE_LOCATION in collection to  {"applyAtShellIntegration":true,"applyAtProcessCreation":true}
2024-11-25 13:18:10.435 [info] Prepending environment variable PATH in collection to *****\.vscode\extensions\ms-python.python-2024.20.0-win32-x64\python_files\deactivate\powershell;*****\.venv\Scripts;C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7;C:\Program Files (x86)\Razer Chroma SDK\bin;C:\Program Files\Razer Chroma SDK\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Razer\ChromaBroadcast\bin;C:\Program Files\Razer\ChromaBroadcast\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Intel\Shared Libraries\redist\intel64\compiler;C:\Program Files\NVIDIA GPU Computing Toolkit\CUDA\v11.8\bin;C:\Program Files\NVIDIA GPU Computing Toolkit\CUDA\v11.8\libnvvp;C:\Program Files\Python39\Scripts\;C:\Program Files\Python39\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft\jdk-11.0.16.101-hotspot\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Azure\CLI2\wbin;C:\Program Files\Eclipse Adoptium\jdk-11.0.16.101-hotspot\bin;C:\Program Files\Microsoft HPC Pack 2019\Bin\;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\Program Files\dotnet\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\Client SDK\ODBC\170\Tools\Binn\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\150\Tools\Binn\;C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\NVIDIA NvDLISR;C:\Program Files (x86)\Android\android-sdk\platform-tools;*****\AppData\Roaming\nvm;C:\Program Files\nodejs;C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\bin;*****\AppData\Local\Android\Sdk\cmake\3.10.2.4988404\bin;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\WINDOWS\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\PhysX\Common;C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Nsight Compute 2022.3.0\;C:\Program Files\OpenSSL-Win64\bin;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Service Fabric\bin\Fabric\Fabric.Code;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Service Fabric\Tools\ServiceFabricLocalClusterManager;C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\WINDOWS\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7\;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd;C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\resources\bin;*****\AppData\Local\CloudBuild;*****\.pyenv\pyenv-win\bin;*****\.pyenv\pyenv-win\shims;*****\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python37\Scripts\;*****\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python37\;*****\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;*****\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\bin;*****\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX\miktex\bin\x64\;C:\Tools\rclone;*****\AppData\Roaming\nvm;C:\Program Files\nodejs;*****\.dotnet\tools;*****\.dotnet\tools;*****\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;*****\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code Insiders\bin; {"applyAtShellIntegration":true,"applyAtProcessCreation":true}
2024-11-25 13:18:10.435 [info] Setting environment variable PYTHONPATH in collection to . {"applyAtShellIntegration":true,"applyAtProcessCreation":true}
2024-11-25 13:18:10.435 [info] Setting environment variable VIRTUAL_ENV in collection to *****\.venv {"applyAtShellIntegration":true,"applyAtProcessCreation":true}
2024-11-25 13:18:10.435 [info] Setting environment variable VIRTUAL_ENV_PROMPT in collection to .venv {"applyAtShellIntegration":true,"applyAtProcessCreation":true}
2024-11-25 13:18:10.435 [info] Setting environment variable VSCODE_L10N_BUNDLE_LOCATION in collection to  {"applyAtShellIntegration":true,"applyAtProcessCreation":true}

Extension version: 2024.20.0
VS Code version: Code 1.95.3 (f1a4fb101478ce6ec82fe9627c43efbf9e98c813, 2024-11-13T14:50:04.152Z)
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26100
Modes:

• Python version (& distribution if applicable, e.g. Anaconda): 3.12.4
• Type of virtual environment used (e.g. conda, venv, virtualenv, etc.): Venv
• Value of the python.languageServer setting: Default

User Settings

envFile: "<placeholder>"

languageServer: "Pylance"

testing
• pytestArgs: "<placeholder>"
• pytestEnabled: true

Installed Extensions

Extension Name	Extension Id	Version
.NET Install Tool	ms-dotnettools.vscode-dotnet-runtime	2.2.3
Adaptive Card Previewer	TeamsDevApp.vscode-adaptive-cards	0.1.3
Alphabetical Sorter	ue.alphabetical-sorter	2.0.1
Athena Assistant	teamsengsys.athena-vsc-ext	0.0.2024102501
Augmentation Loop VS Code Extension	AugmentationLoop.augloop-vscode-extension	0.9.277
Auto Close Tag	formulahendry.auto-close-tag	0.5.15
Auto Rename Tag	formulahendry.auto-rename-tag	0.1.10
autopep8	ms-python.autopep8	2024.0.0
Azure Account	ms-vscode.azure-account	0.12.0
Azure DevOps Snippets	damienaicheh.azure-devops-snippets	1.0.6
Azure Functions	ms-azuretools.vscode-azurefunctions	1.16.1
Azure Resources	ms-azuretools.vscode-azureresourcegroups	0.9.9
C#	ms-dotnettools.csharp	2.55.29
C# Dev Kit	ms-dotnettools.csdevkit	1.13.9
Chronicler	arcsine.chronicler	0.1.16
Code Spell Checker	streetsidesoftware.code-spell-checker	4.0.21
Conventional Commits	vivaxy.vscode-conventional-commits	1.26.0
EBNF Tools	igochkov.vscode-ebnf	1.3.1
EditorConfig for VS Code	EditorConfig.EditorConfig	0.16.4
ESLint	dbaeumer.vscode-eslint	3.0.10
Excel Viewer	GrapeCity.gc-excelviewer	4.2.62
FiraCode font - Professional Font for Developers	SeyyedKhandon.firacode	2.2.2
Git History	donjayamanne.githistory	0.6.20
GitHub Copilot	GitHub.copilot	1.245.0
GitHub Copilot Chat	GitHub.copilot-chat	0.23.2024102903
GitLens — Git supercharged	eamodio.gitlens	16.0.3
GraphQL for VSCode	kumar-harsh.graphql-for-vscode	1.15.3
Highlight Matching Tag	vincaslt.highlight-matching-tag	0.11.0
IntelliCode for C# Dev Kit	ms-dotnettools.vscodeintellicode-csharp	2.2.3
JavaScript Debugger	ms-vscode.js-debug	1.95.3
JavaScript Debugger Companion Extension	ms-vscode.js-debug-companion	1.1.3
Jest Runner	firsttris.vscode-jest-runner	0.4.74
Jupyter	ms-toolsai.jupyter	2024.10.0
Jupyter Cell Tags	ms-toolsai.vscode-jupyter-cell-tags	0.1.9
Jupyter Keymap	ms-toolsai.jupyter-keymap	1.1.2
Jupyter Notebook Renderers	ms-toolsai.jupyter-renderers	1.0.21
Jupyter Slide Show	ms-toolsai.vscode-jupyter-slideshow	0.1.6
Kotlin Language	mathiasfrohlich.Kotlin	1.7.1
Live Preview	ms-vscode.live-server	0.4.15
Markdown Preview Enhanced	shd101wyy.markdown-preview-enhanced	0.8.15
Markdown Preview Mermaid Support	bierner.markdown-mermaid	1.27.0
Material Icon Theme	PKief.material-icon-theme	5.14.1
MDX	unifiedjs.vscode-mdx	1.8.11
Microsoft Edge Tools for VS Code	ms-edgedevtools.vscode-edge-devtools	2.1.6
mplstyle (Matplotlib)	yy0931.mplstyle	1.14.4
npm Intellisense	christian-kohler.npm-intellisense	1.4.5
Parquet Explorer	AdamViola.parquet-explorer	1.2.1
Path Intellisense	christian-kohler.path-intellisense	2.9.0
Prettier - Code formatter	esbenp.prettier-vscode	11.0.0
Pylance	ms-python.vscode-pylance	2024.11.3
Pylint	ms-python.pylint	2024.0.0
Python	ms-python.python	2024.20.0
Python Debugger	ms-python.debugpy	2024.12.0
Python Environment Manager	donjayamanne.python-environment-manager	1.2.4
Rainbow CSV	mechatroner.rainbow-csv	3.13.0
React Snippets	ugross.vscode-react-snippets	2.0.1
Scope to This	rhalaly.scope-to-this	0.2.1
Subtitles Editor	pepri.subtitles-editor	1.1.7
Table Visualizer for JavaScript Profiles	ms-vscode.vscode-js-profile-table	1.0.10
Tailwind CSS IntelliSense	bradlc.vscode-tailwindcss	0.12.15
TypeScript + Webpack Problem Matchers	amodio.tsl-problem-matcher	0.6.2
VS Code Speech	ms-vscode.vscode-speech	0.12.1
Vue - Official	Vue.volar	2.1.10
YAML	redhat.vscode-yaml	1.15.0
Zip File Explorer	slevesque.vscode-zipexplorer	0.3.1

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[karthiknadig]

@rhalaly Where are you setting this? From the error it looks like you may not have a workspace opened.

[rhalaly]

Of course I have. I opened a folder which is my repo's root and have .env file in the root. For some reason, the Python extension doesn't find it

[karthiknadig]

Can you share the entire log? Also, when you say run Python code, how are you running it? Using the run in terminal command, or using a activated terminal?

[rhalaly]

Can you share the entire log?

Edited the original post.

how are you running it?

Activated terminal / vscode task / vscode launch / vscode debugger / run button on top right corner

None are reading the env var

[dobos]

To me, it's rather arbitrary if the .env file is used or not. If I execute a notebook, it does get picked up, as well as when running unit tests in debug mode. The .env file is ignored, however, when just running unit tests (without debugging) or running a coverage test.

Okay, so I've figured it out. The difference is how the python code is executed in debug mode vs. just normal unit test execution. In normal mode, python commands are executed with conda run ... which actually calls all environment activation scripts - after sourcing .env so if .env happens to overwrite something that conda sets, it won't happen in normal execution mode because .env is sourced before the conda env is activated. When running the unit test in debug mode, it is executed differently, without calling conda run so that the environment doesn't get activated again, after sourcing .env.

The above scenario causes problems when you set a variable from .env but also from the environment activation scripts located in etc/conda/activate.d/, relative to the environment root.

[artemgur]

I have a Python script in a subdirectory which has imports relative to project root. There is .env file in project root with PYTHONPATH=.
When I run the file through "Run Python file", it ignores PYTHONPATH from .env, and because of that fails on imports
When I run the file through "Python Debugger: Debug Python File", it uses PYTHONPATH from .env, and because of that works correctly
I use venv which is located outside of project folder