Description

assignee = None
closed_at = None
created_at = <Date 2018-04-17.21:48:27.965>
labels = ['interpreter-core', 'type-bug', '3.7']
title = "The search for pyvenv.cfg doesn't match PEP 405"
updated_at = <Date 2018-04-17.21:48:27.965>
user = 'https://github.com/mattheww'

activity = <Date 2018-04-17.21:48:27.965>
actor = 'mattheww'
assignee = 'none'
closed = False
closed_date = None
closer = None
components = ['Interpreter Core']
creation = <Date 2018-04-17.21:48:27.965>
creator = 'mattheww'
dependencies = []
files = []
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 33302
keywords = []
message_count = 1.0
messages = ['315424']
nosy_count = 1.0
nosy_names = ['mattheww']
pr_nums = []
priority = 'normal'
resolution = None
stage = None
status = 'open'
superseder = None
type = 'behavior'
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue33302'
versions = ['Python 3.5', 'Python 3.6', 'Python 3.7']

Activity

1. mattheww commented on Apr 17, 2018

   

   matthewwmannequin

   on Apr 17, 2018

   MannequinAuthor

   More actions

   PEP-405 says that the pyvenv.cfg file is found as follows:

   « a pyvenv.cfg file is found either adjacent to the Python executable or one directory above it (if the executable is a symlink, it is not dereferenced), »

   But in cpython if the executable is a symlink, it _is_ dereferenced before searching for pyvenv.cfg .

   I've checked this behaviour with Python 3.5, 3.6, and today's 3.7 tip.

   Looking in 3.7's getpath.c, calculate_path_impl() calls, in order:

      calculate_program_full_path()
      calculate_argv0_path()
      calculate_read_pyenv()

   It looks like the symlink resolution happens near the end of calculate_argv0_path().

   I think this means that the 'home=' line in pyvenv.cfg files generated by the 'venv' module is irrelevant (and seems likely to confuse anyone who might try to construct a Python environment by imitating a built venv).
2. mattheww

   added

   3.7 (EOL)end of lifeend of life

   interpreter-core(Objects, Python, Grammar, and Parser dirs)(Objects, Python, Grammar, and Parser dirs)

   type-bugAn unexpected behavior, bug, or errorAn unexpected behavior, bug, or error

   on Apr 17, 2018
3. ezio-melotti

   transferred this issue fromon Apr 10, 2022
4. mattheww commented on Sep 6, 2026

   

   mattheww

   on Sep 6, 2026

   Author

   More actions

   I think this was fixed by #29041 (for Python 3.11) and Python now behaves as PEP 405 said it should.

   Reacted by Bénédikt Tran
5. picnixz

   removed

   3.7 (EOL)end of lifeend of life

   on Sep 6, 2026
6. picnixz

   closed this as completedon Sep 6, 2026

Issue actions