VSCode terminal shows incorrect python version and path, launching terminal from anaconda works perfectly

Question

I have been stuck on this one problem for hours now and believe I have tried everything outside of throwing my computer out of the window.

I have a virtual environment set up on Anaconda using python version 3.7 and Django version 2.1. If I activate this virtual environment from Anaconda everything works smoothly.

(movierecommender) bash-3.2$ python -V
Python 3.7.2
(movierecommender) bash-3.2$ python -m django --version
2.1.5

However when I try to activate the environment from a vscode terminal I get

(movierecommender) maxs-MBP:movies maxswann$ python -V
Python 2.7.10
(movierecommender) maxs-MBP:movies maxswann$ python -m django --version
/usr/bin/python: No module named django

I have Python 3.7.2 64-bit ('movierecommender':conda) showing as my python interpreter in the bottom left of my vscode window yet still get the wrong python version

I thought this may be to do with the PYTHONPATH but have tried unsetting and resetting even though I should not have to worry about this in Anaconda as it automatically adds: "python.pythonPath":"/Users/maxswann/anaconda3/envs/movierecommender/bin/python" to a settings.json.vscode file

using:

python -c "import sys; print(sys.path)"

Anaconda-launched terminal

['', '/Users/maxswann/anaconda3/envs/movierecommender/lib/python37.zip', '/Users/maxswann/anaconda3/envs/movierecommender/lib/python3.7', '/Users/maxswann/anaconda3/envs/movierecommender/lib/python3.7/lib-dynload', '/Users/maxswann/anaconda3/envs/movierecommender/lib/python3.7/site-packages']

Vs Code terminal

['', '/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python27.zip', '/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7', '/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/plat-darwin', '/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/plat-mac', '/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/plat-mac/lib-scriptpackages', '/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-tk', '/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-old', '/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload', '/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages', '/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/Extras/lib/python', '/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/Extras/lib/python/PyObjC']

As you can see it seems to be using the default mac OS python version.

Has anybody else had this problem before? I've been tearing hair out all day trying to fix this

Answer 1

I have been facing the exact same problem. Finally found a workaround from a forum (https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode-python/issues/4434#issuecomment-466600591)

As long as you ADD some stuff to configuration, terminal.integrated.env.osx, the content will be appended to PATH after shell initialization(source bash_profile or zshrc). In my Mojave, I simply add following empty entry to my user configuration:

"terminal.integrated.env.osx": {
        "PATH": ""
}

Then the $PATH will be the same as the external terminal.

Answer 2

The officially accepted answer by @Samuel was the correct answer at the time.

But VS Code has now provided a better way to handle it.

In short, open up your user settings and add this line of code:

    "terminal.integrated.inheritEnv": false,

This prevents stomping over whatever Python environment manager you are using (eg, venv, conda, etc).

Answer 3

For Windows users:

First if you haven't done already, set VS code (the editor, not its terminal) to the desired Python environment, using Ctrl+Shift+P --> Python: Select interpreter.

Then, Change VS code's default terminal from Powershell to CMD. This is what worked for me at least.