Virtual environments not found

[mgeorge-is]

Type: Bug

Behaviour

Hatch virtual environments are not displayed when using the command palette Python: Select Interpreter (or similarly when using the Jupyter extensions Select Kernel option).

Steps to reproduce:

1. Update the VS Code python extension to 2024.18.0 or later.
2. Using hatch env create, create multiple virtual environments. By default they are placed in the .hatch directory of the workspace root.
3. Open command palette Python: Select Interpreter (or Jupyter extension Select Kernel) and local environments will not be listed.
4. Revert VS Code python extension to 2024.16.1 and restart and the environments are displayed as expected.

Diagnostic data

The issue is reproducible in all versions 2024.18.0 and higher. Possibly related to this commit which fixed an unrelated duplication issue: #24321

2024.16.1

2024.18.0

Extension version: 2024.18.0
VS Code version: Code 1.96.4 (Universal) (cd4ee3b1c348a13bafd8f9ad8060705f6d4b9cba, 2025-01-16T00:16:19.038Z)
OS version: Darwin arm64 24.3.0
Modes:

• Python version (& distribution if applicable, e.g. Anaconda): 3.12.1
• Type of virtual environment used (e.g. conda, venv, virtualenv, etc.): Venv
• Value of the python.languageServer setting: Default

User Settings

languageServer: "Pylance"

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

Installed Extensions

Extension Name	Extension Id	Version
autoDocstring - Python Docstring Generator	njpwerner.autodocstring	0.6.1
C/C++	ms-vscode.cpptools	1.23.5
C/C++ Extension Pack	ms-vscode.cpptools-extension-pack	1.3.0
C/C++ Themes	ms-vscode.cpptools-themes	2.0.0
CMake	twxs.cmake	0.0.17
CMake Tools	ms-vscode.cmake-tools	1.19.52
Code Spell Checker	streetsidesoftware.code-spell-checker	4.0.34
Dev Containers	ms-vscode-remote.remote-containers	0.394.0
Docker	ms-azuretools.vscode-docker	1.29.4
Even Better TOML	tamasfe.even-better-toml	0.21.2
GitHub Actions	github.vscode-github-actions	0.27.1
GitHub Pull Requests	GitHub.vscode-pull-request-github	0.102.0
GitHub Repositories	GitHub.remotehub	0.64.0
JavaScript Debugger	ms-vscode.js-debug	1.96.0
JavaScript Debugger Companion Extension	ms-vscode.js-debug-companion	1.1.3
Jupyter	ms-toolsai.jupyter	2024.11.0
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	1.1.0
Jupyter Slide Show	ms-toolsai.vscode-jupyter-slideshow	0.1.6
Makefile Tools	ms-vscode.makefile-tools	0.11.13
Mypy Type Checker	ms-python.mypy-type-checker	2024.0.0
Pylance	ms-python.vscode-pylance	2025.2.1
Pylint	ms-python.pylint	2024.0.0
Python	ms-python.python	2024.18.0
Python Debugger	ms-python.debugpy	2024.14.0
Remote Repositories	ms-vscode.remote-repositories	0.42.0
Rewrap	stkb.rewrap	1.16.3
Ruff	charliermarsh.ruff	2025.4.0
Table Visualizer for JavaScript Profiles	ms-vscode.vscode-js-profile-table	1.0.10
VS Code Counter	uctakeoff.vscode-counter	3.6.2
YAML	redhat.vscode-yaml	1.15.0

[anthonykim1]

@mgeorge-is Is your locator native or js?

[mgeorge-is]

@mgeorge-is Is your locator native or js?

@anthonykim1: js (edit: this setting is for version 2024.16.1 which I have pinned so I can continue working. It is native if I update to 2024.18.0 (not working)).

[lvm-1896]

I'm also experiencing problems with the python.locator setting. When set to native PET.EXE ist blocked from execution by AppLocker. There is an entry in the log files, but no indication in the GIU. I my case, no python runtimes could be found. Not even the runtime installed by VS Code itself. VS Code is a system installation, but PET.EXE is in my user profile where the python extension lives.

[karthiknadig]

@mgeorge-is Does it work if you select it by navigating to it?

@lvm-1896 You may need to add either Microsoft Publisher or the specific pet file as an exception to AppLocker: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/application-security/application-control/app-control-for-business/applocker/configure-exceptions-for-an-applocker-rule

[jdegenstein]

Ran into this issue too on a brand new install of VSCode and vscode-python extension. What helped was switching locator off of native to js (and I restarted VSCode for good measure too).

[mgeorge-is]

@mgeorge-is Does it work if you select it by navigating to it?

@lvm-1896 You may need to add either Microsoft Publisher or the specific pet file as an exception to AppLocker: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/application-security/application-control/app-control-for-business/applocker/configure-exceptions-for-an-applocker-rule

@karthiknadig: yes, I can select an environment that is not detected via Command Palette -> Select Interpreter -> Enter interpreter path. But this does not work for Jupyter notebooks. Select Kernel -> Select Another Kernel -> Python Environments and then there is no enter interpreter path option. So there is a workaround in the first case but not the second.

[karthiknadig]

Thanks, I will investigate. For now please use the workaround.

[lvm-1896]

@lvm-1896 You may need to add either Microsoft Publisher or the specific pet file as an exception to AppLocker: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/application-security/application-control/app-control-for-business/applocker/configure-exceptions-for-an-applocker-rule

I switched back to JS and the user can work again now. I'll try to get the AppLocker exception deployed for the userbase in my enterprise (~ 600 installations). AFAICS PET.EXE ist the first executable installed outside the installation directory (VS Code system installation), so the requirement for further exceptions was a bit suprising for me and it took quite a while to find the reason for failing python support. Maybe ist is possible to bring up a user visible message in case the locator fails? Or even better provide an automatic fallback with a warning? Failure to detect python on all workstations would have been a nightmare for me ...

[carlosles]

I'm on VS Code version 1.97.2 on arm64 macOS and was frustrated having experienced this issue. Fortunately the switch to the old js locator worked.

[lvm-1896]

@mgeorge-is : I tried to follow your suggestion to setup an AppLocker exception for pet.exe. Because pet.exe is missing a product info, I'm having trouble to convince my admistrators to add an exception for all Microsoft-signed executables.

[mgeorge-is]

@mgeorge-is : I tried to follow your suggestion to setup an AppLocker exception for pet.exe. Because pet.exe is missing a product info, I'm having trouble to convince my admistrators to add an exception for all Microsoft-signed executables.

@lvm-1896, I opened the original issue (environment locators not working). I am not a VS Code developer. I suggest you open a new issue for your problem to prevent confusion.