gh-125398: Convert paths in venv activate script when using Git Bash under Windows by julienp · Pull Request #125399 · python/cpython · GitHub

With #112508 the check to convert paths when running on Windows was changed from using the non-posix environment variable $OSTYPE to using uname instead.

However this missed the fact that when running under Git Bash on Windows, uname reports MINGW* ($OSTYPE is still msys).

This results in $PATH being set to something like D:\a\github-actions-shells\github-actions-shells\venv/Scripts:…, instead of /d/a/github-actions-shells/github-actions-shells/venv/Scripts.

Notably, the Git Bash is the bash shell that’s used for GitHub Actions Windows runners, and ships with VSCode.

Fixes #125398

Issue: The virtualenv activate script does not correctly detect the Windows Git Bash shell #125398

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With python#112508 the check to converts paths when running on Windows was changed from using the non-posix environment variable `$OSTYPE` to using `uname` instead. However this missed the fact that when running under Git Bash on Windows, uname reports `MINGW*` (`$OSTYPE` is still `msys`). This results in `$PATH` being set to something like `D:\a\github-actions-shells\github-actions-shells\venv/Scripts:…`, instead of `/d/a/github-actions-shells/github-actions-shells/venv/Scripts`. Notably, the Git Bash is the bash shell that’s used for GitHub Actions Windows runners, and ships with VSCode.

Recommend used this.

Suggested change

      
            Fix the conversion of the VIRTUAL_ENV path in the activate script in :mod:`venv` when running in Git Bash for Windows.
          
            Fix the conversion of the ``VIRTUAL_ENV`` path in the activate script in :mod:`venv` when running in Git Bash for Windows.

Actually, the correct markup would be :envvar: :) See also the relevant parts of the devguide.

I edited the PR to use the :envvar: role, but it seems to fail documentation linting:

WARNING: 'envvar' reference target not found: VIRTUAL_ENV [ref.envvar]

Perhaps a nits file needs updating? @erlend-aasland, any ideas?

You can use :envvar:`!VIRTUAL_ENV` :)

Ideally though, VIRTUAL_ENV should be documented in Doc/library/venv.rst.

Pretty sure VIRTUAL_ENV is undocumented on purpose. It's sys.argv[0] that determines whether you're in a venv or not (and if argv[0] is a relative path, it's resolved using PATH, which makes that the other relevant environment variable).

Ah, but it's not undocumented; it is mentioned multiple places in our docs, but it lacks a "formal" .. envvar:: definition ;)

Looking at the documentation in the venv module for it, I'd be okay with adding the reference location to there (in short, it says "don't use or rely on this variable, but it might be set")

OK, I'm minded to commit this as it is currently (with !VIRTUAL_ENV), and that envvar definition can be added in a subsequent PR. Any objections?

…W7Ndv.rst Co-authored-by: RUANG (Roy James) <longjinyii@outlook.com>

🤖 New build scheduled with the buildbot fleet by @vsajip for commit a81e9cd 🤖

If you want to schedule another build, you need to add the 🔨 test-with-buildbots label again.

Thanks @julienp for the PR, and @vsajip for merging it 🌮🎉.. I'm working now to backport this PR to: 3.12.
🐍🍒⛏🤖

Thanks @julienp for the PR, and @vsajip for merging it 🌮🎉.. I'm working now to backport this PR to: 3.13.
🐍🍒⛏🤖

Sorry, @julienp and @vsajip, I could not cleanly backport this to 3.12 due to a conflict.
Please backport using cherry_picker on command line.

cherry_picker 2a378dba987e125521b678364f0cd44b92dd5d52 3.12

… Bash under Windows (pythonGH-125399) * Convert paths in venv activate script when using Git Bash under Windows With python#112508 the check to converts paths when running on Windows was changed from using the non-posix environment variable `$OSTYPE` to using `uname` instead. However this missed the fact that when running under Git Bash on Windows, uname reports `MINGW*` (`$OSTYPE` is still `msys`). This results in `$PATH` being set to something like `D:\a\github-actions-shells\github-actions-shells\venv/Scripts:…`, instead of `/d/a/github-actions-shells/github-actions-shells/venv/Scripts`. Notably, the Git Bash is the bash shell that’s used for GitHub Actions Windows runners, and ships with VSCode. (cherry picked from commit 2a378db) Co-authored-by: Julien <julien@caffeine.lu>

GH-125733 is a backport of this pull request to the 3.13 branch.

…t Bash under Windows (GH-125399) (GH-125733) (cherry picked from commit 2a378db)

Thank you for merging this! I see the bot comment about the backport to 3.12 failing. I think that's expected, as this was a regression in 3.13.0, and the change that introduced the regression was not applied to 3.12.

… Bash under Windows (pythonGH-125399) * Convert paths in venv activate script when using Git Bash under Windows With python#112508 the check to converts paths when running on Windows was changed from using the non-posix environment variable `$OSTYPE` to using `uname` instead. However this missed the fact that when running under Git Bash on Windows, uname reports `MINGW*` (`$OSTYPE` is still `msys`). This results in `$PATH` being set to something like `D:\a\github-actions-shells\github-actions-shells\venv/Scripts:…`, instead of `/d/a/github-actions-shells/github-actions-shells/venv/Scripts`. Notably, the Git Bash is the bash shell that’s used for GitHub Actions Windows runners, and ships with VSCode.

julienp requested a review from vsajip as a code owner October 13, 2024 14:40

bedevere-app Bot added the awaiting review label Oct 13, 2024

bedevere-app Bot mentioned this pull request Oct 13, 2024

The virtualenv activate script does not correctly detect the Windows Git Bash shell #125398

Closed

julienp force-pushed the julienp/venv-mingw branch from 344c038 to 61ab573 Compare October 13, 2024 15:06

rruuaanng reviewed Oct 14, 2024

View reviewed changes

Update Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2024-10-13-15-04-58.gh-issue-125398.U…

a81e9cd

…W7Ndv.rst Co-authored-by: RUANG (Roy James) <longjinyii@outlook.com>

vsajip added the 🔨 test-with-buildbots Test PR w/ buildbots; report in status section label Oct 15, 2024

bedevere-bot removed the 🔨 test-with-buildbots Test PR w/ buildbots; report in status section label Oct 15, 2024

erlend-aasland requested a review from a team October 15, 2024 10:49

vsajip reviewed Oct 15, 2024

View reviewed changes

Comment thread Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2024-10-13-15-04-58.gh-issue-125398.UW7Ndv.rst Outdated

Change to use the envvar role.

0879c48

vsajip reviewed Oct 16, 2024

View reviewed changes

Comment thread Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2024-10-13-15-04-58.gh-issue-125398.UW7Ndv.rst Outdated

Try to circumvent doc linting error.

d47476d

vsajip merged commit 2a378db into python:main Oct 19, 2024

bedevere-app Bot removed the awaiting review label Oct 19, 2024

vsajip added needs backport to 3.12 only security fixes needs backport to 3.13 bugs and security fixes labels Oct 19, 2024

miss-islington-app Bot assigned vsajip Oct 19, 2024

bedevere-app Bot removed the needs backport to 3.13 bugs and security fixes label Oct 19, 2024

vsajip pushed a commit that referenced this pull request Oct 19, 2024

[3.13] gh-125398 : Convert paths in venv activate script when using Gi…

9e43330

…t Bash under Windows (GH-125399) (GH-125733) (cherry picked from commit 2a378db)

julienp deleted the julienp/venv-mingw branch October 22, 2024 22:33

hugovk removed the needs backport to 3.12 only security fixes label Feb 25, 2025

LuNoX mentioned this pull request Jun 7, 2026

gh-151042: venv: Pass VIRTUAL_ENV through cygpath inside fish on Windows #151043

Merged

coderabbitai Bot mentioned this pull request Aug 12, 2026

feat: vector semantic search tool cbtw-apac/HarborRAG#27

Merged

11 tasks

		@@ -0,0 +1 @@
		Fix the conversion of the VIRTUAL_ENV path in the activate script in :mod:`venv` when running in Git Bash for Windows.

	Fix the conversion of the VIRTUAL_ENV path in the activate script in :mod:`venv` when running in Git Bash for Windows.
	Fix the conversion of the ``VIRTUAL_ENV`` path in the activate script in :mod:`venv` when running in Git Bash for Windows.

gh-125398: Convert paths in venv activate script when using Git Bash under Windows by julienp · Pull Request #125399 · python/cpython · GitHub

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gh-125398: Convert paths in venv activate script when using Git Bash under Windows - #125399

gh-125398: Convert paths in venv activate script when using Git Bash under Windows#125399vsajip merged 4 commits intopython:mainpython/cpython:mainfrom julienp:julienp/venv-mingwjulienp/cpython:julienp/venv-mingwCopy head branch name to clipboard

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gh-125398: Convert paths in venv activate script when using Git Bash under Windows#125399
vsajip merged 4 commits into
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