[SOLVED] Cannot start virtual environment generated by python (Windows x64)

Issue

I am trying to activate a Virtual Envoroment generated by python python -m venv .env on Windows by using the command .env/Scripts/activate But I end up getting a Syntax Error:

File "C:\Users\Admin\Documents\GPT\.env\Scripts\activate", line 8
    if [ -n "${_OLD_VIRTUAL_PATH:-}" ] ; then
    ^

This is the code that was generated that I'm trying to execute so that I can activate the Virtual Enviroment:

# This file must be used with "source bin/activate" *from bash*
# you cannot run it directly



deactivate () {
    # reset old environment variables
   if [ -n "${_OLD_VIRTUAL_PATH:-}" ] ; then
        PATH="${_OLD_VIRTUAL_PATH:-}"
        export PATH
        unset _OLD_VIRTUAL_PATH
    fi
   if [ -n "${_OLD_VIRTUAL_PYTHONHOME:-}" ] ; then
        PYTHONHOME="${_OLD_VIRTUAL_PYTHONHOME:-}"
        export PYTHONHOME
        unset _OLD_VIRTUAL_PYTHONHOME
    fi

    # This should detect bash and zsh, which have a hash command that must
    # be called to get it to forget past commands.  Without forgetting
    # past commands the $PATH changes we made may not be respected
    if [ -n "${BASH:-}" -o -n "${ZSH_VERSION:-}" ] ; then
        hash -r 2> /dev/null
    fi

    if [ -n "${_OLD_VIRTUAL_PS1:-}" ] ; then
        PS1="${_OLD_VIRTUAL_PS1:-}"
        export PS1
        unset _OLD_VIRTUAL_PS1
    fi

    unset VIRTUAL_ENV
    if [ ! "${1:-}" = "nondestructive" ] ; then
    # Self destruct!
        unset -f deactivate
    fi
}

# unset irrelevant variables
deactivate nondestructive

VIRTUAL_ENV="C:\Users\Admin\Documents\GPT\.env"
export VIRTUAL_ENV

_OLD_VIRTUAL_PATH="$PATH"
PATH="$VIRTUAL_ENV/Scripts:$PATH"
export PATH

# unset PYTHONHOME if set
# this will fail if PYTHONHOME is set to the empty string (which is bad anyway)
# could use `if (set -u; : $PYTHONHOME) ;` in bash
if [ -n "${PYTHONHOME:-}" ] ; then
    _OLD_VIRTUAL_PYTHONHOME="${PYTHONHOME:-}"
    unset PYTHONHOME
fi

if [ -z "${VIRTUAL_ENV_DISABLE_PROMPT:-}" ] ; then
    _OLD_VIRTUAL_PS1="${PS1:-}"
    PS1="(.env) ${PS1:-}"
    export PS1
fi

# This should detect bash and zsh, which have a hash command that must
# be called to get it to forget past commands.  Without forgetting
# past commands the $PATH changes we made may not be respected
if [ -n "${BASH:-}" -o -n "${ZSH_VERSION:-}" ] ; then
    hash -r 2> /dev/null
fi

I have tried:

virtualenv --python .env/Scripts/activate and get: RuntimeError: failed to query C:\Users\Admin\Documents\GPT\.env\Scripts\activate with code 8 err: '%1 is not a valid Win32 application'

I'm not sure why something generated would already have Syntax Errors.

Solution

According to the documentation, The activate script is intended for bash/zsh. On windows you should use activate.bat (cmd) or Activate.ps1 (PowerShell). So instead of .env/Scripts/activate, running .env/Scripts/Activate.ps1 should work.

Answered By - micromoses

Answer Checked By - Candace Johnson (WPSolving Volunteer)