Reconsider changing default value of "python.terminal.activateEnvInCurrentTerminal" to true

[Gamrix]

Environment data

• Language Server version: 2022.7.40
• OS and version: darwin x64
• Python version (and distribution if applicable, e.g. Anaconda): Python 3.8.8, conda 4.13.0
• python.analysis.indexing: null
• python.analysis.typeCheckingMode: off

Repro Steps

1. Have Anaconda, and create an anaconda venv that is not base (in addition to base
2. Add the following to the workspace settings (get path from activating the env, then typingwhich python)
   {
   "python.defaultInterpreterPath": "/Users/[...]/anaconda3/envs/[your_env]/bin/python",
   }
3. Restart VSCode to activate Anaconda
4. Open a terminal window using View: Toggle Terminal, note how conda activate yourenv is run
5. Close and reopen VSCode.

Expected behavior

When I restart VsCode, the previous environment is restored (or if not possible, the environment that is associated with the defaultInterpreterPath is restored)

Actual behavior

When I restart VSCode, the enviroment is not restored, and instead the base envirnoment is active.

Logs

[karrtikr]

Are you saying the environment activated in terminal is not the one you've selected (which is yourenv)? Try setting "python.terminal.activateEnvInCurrentTerminal": true in settings.json.

[Gamrix]

Ok, adding that setting fixed the issue. Is there a reason why that setting is not the default?

Also, I don't see it called out anywhere on https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/python/environments

[karrtikr]

One reason for not activating it in the current terminal by default is it could be that the user has typed something in the current terminal, and us sending a command then appends to what is already written in the terminal. This is not a problem if a new terminal is created.

We'll probably re-visit this using an experiment.

[karrtikr]

Yep I think it was because some users may not like us altering their current shell automatically, however I think that can be revisited, converting this into a discussion so we can reconsider it.

Also, I don't see it called out anywhere on https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/python/environments

It's in https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/python/settings-reference, perhaps we should also mention it in the environment docs if it's off by default. We'll create an issue in the docs https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-docs/issues if need be after the discussion.

[karrtikr]

@brettcannon Any suggestions?

[brettcannon]

The issue is not everyone wants Python turned on automatically in all of their terminals. For instance, some users have one terminal that's activated for Python, another that is meant for Node, and they don't want them to work the same way.

[karrtikr]

The newer terminals will always have Python turned on automatically by default. So I guess what I'm trying to clarify is what is it about the current shell in focus (when VSCode starts up) that makes it different?

[karrtikr]

Atlleast in the case if user has explicitly configured an interpreter for the workspace, I think it would make sense to automatically activate the current shell.

[brettcannon]

You're starting to ask @luabud extensions 😉