Not listing all Python interpreters on PATH named python.exe

[pjkottke]

Environment data

• VS Code version: 1.27.0-insiders
• Extension version (available under the Extensions sidebar): 2018.7.1
• OS and version: Windows 10
• Python version (& distribution if applicable, e.g. Anaconda): Various
• Type of virtual environment used (N/A | venv | virtualenv | conda | ...): N/A
• Relevant/affected Python packages and their versions: Python 3.4.4

Actual behavior

Third party programs (Plaxis) has installed Python, but these versions are not shown in the intepreter selection unless they are first in the list from the Windows Path Environmental Variable. If I change the order, once again only the first listed path is shown.

Expected behavior

All Python interpreters in the Path should be shown.

Steps to reproduce:

1. Have multiple Python interpreters installed under Program Files.
2. Reorder PATH to only shown the first version in VS Code.

Order A:

Result A:

Order B:

Result B:

[brettcannon]

What Python version are these distributed Python interpreters? And do they only expose python or do they also have e.g. python3 and python3.7 (i.e. a binary with the major version and a binary with the major and minor version)?

[pjkottke]

Sorry for the delay.

Python 3.4.4 and Python 3.4.5.

Both directories have "python.exe" and "pythonw.exe" but no other executables in the root.

[brettcannon]

OK, so the problem is most likely that we don't search every entry for python on PATH, just the first one (probably need to check if this is Windows-only or if we do the same thing on UNIX). And on top of that these interpreters are most likely not registering themselves in the registry, so finding them through PATH is the only way to list them.

[pjkottke]

Will the extension find all the python in the registry? Is there a way for me to add these third party python to the registry?

That is probably not the best way, since I will end up having multiple Python 3.4's.

[brettcannon]

@pjkottke we will find all Python installs registered in the registry, but I don't know exact details of what to set to make them appear (there's a PEP specifying it all).

[pjkottke]

OK, I will muck around with that tomorrow - hopefully that works as a temporary fix.

That worked great, and fixes my issue for the present.

[brettcannon]

I'm re-opening so we can make sure we are searching all of PATH so we can get a proper fix.

[brettcannon]

Can you verify this, @ericsnowcurrently ?

[DonJayamanne]

I'm re-opening so we can make sure we are searching all of PATH so we can get a proper fix.

This is an enhancement not a bug, looking for interpreters in ALL directories in the PATH was never the plan.
I can verify this will not work as we do not iterate through all directories in the PATH to look for python interpreters.