Issue with virtualenv - cannot activate

Question

I created a virtualenv around my project, but when I try to activate it I cannot. It might just be syntax or folder location, but I am stumped right now.

You can see below, I create the virtualenv and call it venv. Everything looks good, then I try to activate it by running source venv/bin/activate

I'm thinking it might just have to do with my system path, but not sure what to point it to (I do know how to edit the path). I'm on python 7 / windows os, virtual env 2.2.x

Processing dependencies for virtualenv
Finished processing dependencies for virtualenv

c:\testdjangoproj\mysite>virtualenv --no-site-packages venv
The --no-site-packages flag is deprecated; it is now the default behavior.
Using real prefix 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Python'
New python executable in venv\Scripts\python.exe
File venv\Lib\distutils\distutils.cfg exists with different content; not overwri
ting
Installing setuptools.................done.
Installing pip...................done.

c:\testdjangoproj\mysite>source venv/bin/activate
'source' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

c:\testdjangoproj\mysite>source venv/bin/activate
'source' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

c:\testdjangoproj\mysite>source mysite/bin/activate
'source' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

c:\testdjangoproj\mysite>

This documentation really helps out for both Posix and Windows systems: https://virtualenv.pypa.io/en/stable/userguide/ — Blairg23, Jul 26 '16 at 21:10

John Flatness · Accepted Answer · 2021-02-17T06:29:42.607

390

source is a shell command designed for users running on Linux (or any Posix, but whatever, not Windows).

On Windows, virtualenv creates a .bat/.ps1 file, so you should run venv\Scripts\activate instead (per the virtualenv documentation on the activate script).

Just run activate, without an extension, so the right file will get used regardless of whether you're using cmd.exe or PowerShell.

edited Feb 17 '21 at 06:29

answered Jan 19 '12 at 04:57

John Flatness

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Works like a charm !! Thanks :) – Yasser Sinjab Mar 08 '14 at 20:47
This also helps with `virtualenv` on both Posix and Windoze systems. https://virtualenv.pypa.io/en/stable/userguide/ – Blairg23 Jul 26 '16 at 21:09
I don't see this "venv" directory after installing Python 2.7 on Windows. Advice? I went to Blairg23's link, but do not see an "activate" script in my Python "Scripts" directory. – ryanwebjackson Oct 03 '17 at 02:16
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or just `activate` – Marcin Rapacz Apr 27 '18 at 11:37
6

i ran `.\\venv\Scripts\activate.bat` but the command just passes on windows 10 without actiavting venv sysmbol **(venv) C:\myApp**. what is the problem – Lutaaya Huzaifah Idris Jun 30 '18 at 08:26
3

I ran `. venv\scripts\activate` On Vscode PowerShell Extension and it worked fine. – ali-myousefi Aug 05 '19 at 04:51
In order to run a bat file in windows, enter full path without . like: "C:\full-path-to-file\activate.bat" – chomp Nov 14 '19 at 13:43
Okay so suppose I created a venv in linux machine and then try to run it in windows. How will I do that? – Jdeep Nov 07 '20 at 06:14
The documentation hyperlink no longer works. – dshefman Feb 10 '21 at 17:19
I did this but getting error when running pip install inside venv. `No python at "path" ` – Murtaza Haji Feb 24 '21 at 17:18

score 23 · Answer 2 · edited Nov 29 '18 at 09:45

23

I was also facing the same issue in my Windows 10 machine. What steps i tried were:

Go to andconda terminal Step 1

pip3 install -U pip virtualenv

Step 2

virtualenv --system-site-packages -p python ./venv

or

virtualenv --system-site-packages -p python3 ./venv

Step 3

.\venv\Scripts\activate

You can check it via spider tool in anaconda by typing import tensorflow as tf

edited Nov 29 '18 at 09:45

gerwitz

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answered Nov 29 '18 at 08:24

Tushar Srivastava

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Did this resolve the issue for you? It's not clear if you're saying "this works" or "I have the same problem" – gerwitz Nov 29 '18 at 08:44
Thanks. This worked for me. Am also using Windows 10 – AfriPwincess Mar 17 '21 at 11:10
Thank you, this worked for me as well. – Andrew Bregman Apr 12 '21 at 17:50

score 21 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 20 '18 at 16:40

21

I had the same problem. I was using Python 2, Windows 10 and Git Bash. Turns out in Git Bash you need to use:

 source venv/Scripts/activate

answered Apr 20 '18 at 16:40

jainilvachhani

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I have a Windows computer and using the Git Bash terminal was the only terminal that worked for me. (The other terminals I tried to use was Command Prompt and the VS Code terminal.) – Gwen Au Oct 16 '18 at 17:00

score 17 · Answer 4 · edited Mar 10 '20 at 07:20

17

For activation you can go to the venv your virtualenv directory by cd venv.
Then on Windows, type dir (on unix, type ls). You will get 5 folders include, Lib, Scripts, tcl and 60
Now type .\Scripts\activate to activate your virtualenv venv.

Your prompt will change to indicate that you are now operating within the virtual environment. It will look something like this (venv)user@host:~/venv$.

And your venv is activated now.

edited Mar 10 '20 at 07:20

Jerome

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answered Nov 25 '17 at 07:16

Gautam Kumar

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In Windows10 `.\Scripts\activate` – A. Suliman Mar 23 '19 at 16:11

score 6 · Answer 5 · edited May 24 '20 at 12:21

6

Ensure venv is there and just follow the commands below. It works in Windows 10.

Go to the path where you want your virtual enviroments to reside:

> cd <my_venv_path>

Create the virtual environment named "env":

> python -m venv env

Add the path to the git ignore file (optional):

> echo env/ >> .gitignore

Activate the virtual env:

> .\env\Scripts\activate

edited May 24 '20 at 12:21

MrBean Bremen

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answered May 22 '20 at 11:54

Vineeth sivaraman

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# python -m venv venv /usr/bin/python: No module named venv # python3 -m venv venv # source activate -bash: activate: No such file or directory root@t# source venv/bin/activate (venv) root@testdocker:~/r# – Vineeth sivaraman May 23 '20 at 09:30
worked for me in windows 10 cmd – Tokci Feb 08 '21 at 09:17

score 5 · Answer 6 · answered Jul 21 '18 at 14:38

5

For windows, type "C:\Users\Sid\venv\FirstProject\Scripts\activate" in the terminal without quotes. Simply give the location of your Scripts folder in your project. So, the command will be location_of_the_Scripts_Folder\activate.

answered Jul 21 '18 at 14:38

Siddharth Kumar Shukla

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score 3 · Answer 7 · answered Jun 21 '20 at 12:43

Open your powershell as admin
Enter "Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Force
Run "gpedit.msc" and go to >Administrative Templates>Windows Components>Windows Powershell
Look for "Activate scripts execution" and set it on "Activated"
Set execution directive to "Allow All"
Apply
Refresh your env

score 2 · Answer 8 · answered Aug 17 '14 at 20:08

2

I have a hell of a time using virtualenv on windows with git bash, I usually end up specifying the python binary explicitly.

If my environment is in say .env I'll call python via ./.env/Scripts/python.exe …, or in a shebang line #!./.env/Scripts/python.exe;

Both assuming your working directory contains your virtualenv (.env).

answered Aug 17 '14 at 20:08

ThorSummoner

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also, some things don't behave correctly *cough _ansible_ cough* when the virtualenv isn't activated, so if things are weird you may have to activate the venv anyway :( – ThorSummoner Jun 18 '18 at 20:15

score 2 · Answer 9 · answered Feb 17 '18 at 09:55

2

You can run the source command on cygwin terminal

answered Feb 17 '18 at 09:55

Paras Singh

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score 2 · Answer 10 · answered Sep 15 '19 at 23:32

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source command is officially for Unix operating systems family and you can't use it on windows basically. instead, you can use venv\Scripts\activate command to activate your virtual environment.

$Made a Screenshot of how venv\Scripts\activate command works correctly$

answered Sep 15 '19 at 23:32

Mohammad Heydari

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score 2 · Answer 11 · edited Feb 03 '20 at 02:31

open the folder with any gitbash console. for example using visualCode and Gitbash console program: 1)Install Gitbash for windows

2) using VisualCode IDE, right click over the project open in terminal console option

3) on window console in Visualcode, looking for a Select->default shell and change it for Gitbash

4)now your project is open with bash console and right path, put source ./Scripts/activate

btw : . with blank space = source

score 1 · Answer 12 · answered Jun 27 '18 at 21:23

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A small reminder, but I had my slashes the wrong way on Win10 cmd. According to python documentation the activate command is: C:\> <venv>\Scripts\activate.bat When you're browsing directories it's e.g. cd .env/Scripts

So to create my venv I used python -m venv --copies .env and to activate .env\Scripts\activate.bat

answered Jun 27 '18 at 21:23

louisav

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as per John Flatness – louisav Jun 27 '18 at 21:24

score 1 · Answer 13 · edited Oct 30 '18 at 09:36

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If you see the 5 folders (Include,Lib,Scripts,tcl,pip-selfcheck) after using the virtualenv yourenvname command, change directory to Scripts folder in the cmd itself and simply use "activate" command.

edited Oct 30 '18 at 09:36

FalconUA

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answered Oct 30 '18 at 07:22

Abhishek Choudhari

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score 1 · Answer 14 · answered Jul 11 '20 at 15:29

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if you already cd your project type only in windows 10

Scripts/activate

That works for me:)

answered Jul 11 '20 at 15:29

Bernardo Olisan

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score 1 · Answer 15 · answered Oct 16 '20 at 13:32

If wants to open virtual environment on Windows then just remember one thing on giving path use backwards slash not forward.

This is right:

D:\xampp\htdocs\htmldemo\python-virtual-environment>env\Scripts\activate

This is wrong:

D:\xampp\htdocs\htmldemo\python-virtual-environment>env/Scripts/activate

score 1 · Answer 16 · edited Jan 03 '21 at 18:38

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Tried several different commands until I came across:

source venv/Scripts/activate

This did it for me. Setup: Win 10, python 3.7, gitbash. Gitbash might be the culprit for not playing nice with other activate commands.

edited Jan 03 '21 at 18:38

fuggerjaki61

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answered Jan 03 '21 at 15:45

Shah_z51

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score 1 · Answer 17 · answered Apr 07 '21 at 11:31

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For python 3.8 and above, following code will work. Make sure to start with 'source'

source your_environment_name/Scripts/activate

answered Apr 07 '21 at 11:31

Malith Senanayake

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score 1 · Answer 18 · answered Apr 23 '21 at 05:15

1

For windows Microsoft Tech Support it might be a problem with Execution Policy Settings. To fix it, you should try executing Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Scope Process

answered Apr 23 '21 at 05:15

Bharat Agrawal

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score 0 · Answer 19 · answered Sep 25 '19 at 02:39

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If you’re using Windows, use the command "venv\Scripts\activate" (without the word source) to activate the virtual environment. If you’re using PowerShell, you might need to capitalize Activate.

answered Sep 25 '19 at 02:39

Thenhan

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score 0 · Answer 20 · answered Dec 12 '19 at 06:21

0

If you are using windows OS then in Gitbash terminal use the following command $source venv/Scripts/activate. This will help you to enter the virtual environment.

answered Dec 12 '19 at 06:21

Debjoti Chandra

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score 0 · Answer 21 · answered Feb 26 '20 at 11:58

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Open your project using VS code editor .
Change the default shell in vs code terminal to git bash.
now your project is open with bash console and right path, put "source venv\Scripts\activate" in Windows

answered Feb 26 '20 at 11:58

shreya

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score 0 · Answer 22 · answered May 05 '20 at 07:34

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Navigate to your virtualenv folder eg ..\project1_env> Then type

source scripts/activate

eg ..\project1_env>source scripts/activate

answered May 05 '20 at 07:34

Emmanuel Amanga

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score 0 · Answer 23 · answered May 22 '20 at 19:14

If some beginner, like me, has followed multiple Python tutorials now possible has multiple Python versions and/or multiple versions of pip/virtualenv/pipenv...

In that case, answers listed, while many correct, might not help.

The first thing I would try in your place is uninstall and reinstall Python and go from there.

score 0 · Answer 24 · answered Oct 01 '20 at 10:26

0

The best way is, using backward slahes and using .bat at the end of activate

C:\Users>your_env_name\Scripts\activate.bat

answered Oct 01 '20 at 10:26

Ahmad Waqar

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score 0 · Answer 25 · answered Oct 09 '20 at 03:09

:: location of bat file
::C:\Users\gaojia\Dropbox\Projects\free_return\venv\Scripts\activate.bat 
:: location of the cmd bat file and the ipython notebook
::C:\Users\gaojia\Dropbox\Projects\free_return\scripts\pre_analysis
source ..\..\venv\Scripts\activate
PAUSE
jupyter nbconvert --to html --execute consumer_response_DID.ipynb
PAUSE

Above is my bat file through which I try to execute an ipython notebook. But the cmd window gives me nothing and shut down instantly, any suggestion why would this happen?

score 0 · Answer 26 · answered Jan 08 '21 at 22:02

0

If you are using windows, just run .\Scripts\activate. Mind that the backslash plays the trick!

answered Jan 08 '21 at 22:02

Zidane

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Issue with virtualenv - cannot activate

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