[SOLVED] "venv activate" doesn't not change my Python path

Issue

I create a virtual environment; let's say test_venv, and I activate it. All successful.

HOWEVER, the path of the Python Interpreter doesn't not change. I have illustrated the situation below.

For clarification, the python path SHOULD BE ~/Desktop/test_venv/bin/python.

>>> python3 -m venv Desktop/test_venv

>>> source Desktop/test_venv/bin/activate

(test_venv) >>> which python
/usr/bin/python 

Solution

Please make sure to read Note #2.

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This is what you should do if you don't want to create a new virtual environment:

In venv/bin folder there are 3 files that store your venv path explicitly and if the path is wrong they take the normal python path so you should change the path there to your new path.

change: set -gx VIRTUAL_ENV "what/ever/path/you/need" in activate.fish

change: VIRTUAL_ENV="what/ever/path/you/need" in activate

change: setenv VIRTUAL_ENV "what/ever/path/you/need" in activate.csh

Note #1:
the path is to /venv and not to /venv/bin

Note #2:
If you reached this page it means that you are probably not following Python's best practice for a project structure. If you were, the process of creating a new virtual environment was just a matter of one command line.

Please consider using one of the following methods:

• add a requirements.txt to your project - for very small projects.
• implement an setup.py script - for real projects.
• use a tool like Poetry - just like the latter though somewhat user-friendlier for some tasks.

Thanks you Khalaimov Dmitrii, I didn't thought it was because I moved the folder.

Answered By - ניר

Answer Checked By - Marilyn (WPSolving Volunteer)