python uses incorrect path

Question

I have bash script which runs Python program. I use virtualenv.

Firs I include env to bash:

source ./ENV/bin/activate

Then I see (ENV) prefix in bash prompt.

$ echo $PATH
/project/ENV/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/bin/core_perl

When I try to run my Python program from bash script, it runs with wrong version of Python. ENV uses Python 2.6, while the system has 3.2 by default.

I print Python version from Python script, and it prints 3.

But why?

ls -la
-rw-r--r-- 1 wnc wnc 2219 Sep 27 01:42 activate
-rw-r--r-- 1 wnc wnc 1275 Sep 27 01:42 activate.csh
-rw-r--r-- 1 wnc wnc 2414 Sep 27 01:42 activate.fish
-rw-r--r-- 1 wnc wnc 1129 Sep 27 01:42 activate_this.py
-rwxr-xr-x 1 wnc wnc 357 Sep 27 01:42 easy_install
-rwxr-xr-x 1 wnc wnc 365 Sep 27 01:42 easy_install-2.6
-rwxr-xr-x 1 wnc wnc 318 Sep 27 01:42 pip
-rwxr-xr-x 1 wnc wnc 326 Sep 27 01:42 pip-2.6
lrwxrwxrwx 1 wnc wnc 9 Sep 27 01:42 python -> python2.6 
lrwxrwxrwx 1 wnc wnc 9 Sep 27 01:42 python2 -> python2.6
-rwxr-xr-x 1 wnc wnc 6240 Sep 27 01:42 python2.6

• Wolph: What is the result of which python?
• Wolph: Can you add the output of ls -la /project/ENV/bin?
• wnc_21: [code] ls -la -rw-r--r-- 1 wnc wnc 2219 Sep 27 01:42 activate -rw-r--r-- 1 wnc wnc 1275 Sep 27 01:42 activate.csh -rw-r--r-- 1 wnc wnc 2414 Sep 27 01:42 activate.fish -rw-r--r-- 1 wnc wnc 1129 Sep 27 01:42 activate_this.py -rwxr-xr-x 1 wnc wnc 357 Sep 27 01:42 easy_install -rwxr-xr-x 1 wnc wnc 365 Sep 27 01:42 easy_install-2.6 -rwxr-xr-x 1 wnc wnc 318 Sep 27 01:42 pip -rwxr-xr-x 1 wnc wnc 326 Sep 27 01:42 pip-2.6 lrwxrwxrwx 1 wnc wnc 9 Sep 27 01:42 python -> python2.6 lrwxrwxrwx 1 wnc wnc 9 Sep 27 01:42 python2 -> python2.6 -rwxr-xr-x 1 wnc wnc 6240 Sep 27 01:42 python2.6 [code]
• tshepang: It's not very readable when you post that as a Comment. Can you add it to your Answer. Also, what's the output of python -c 'import sys, pprint; pprint.pprint(sys.version_info)'.
• wnc_21: in the interpreter which python returns env/bin python in the bash script I run user /usr/bin/python

Answer 1

Sanity check:

source /path/to/ENV/bin/activate
python -V
deactivate
python -V

The first python -V should show print Python 2.6 and the second Python 3.2, right?

When you run your Python script, the one you want to use the above virtualenv, make sure to source /path/to/ENV/bin/activate first, for example if you run it from inside a bash script:

#!/bin/bash
source /path/to/ENV/bin/activate
python /path/to/script.py

Tell me which step doesn't work and any error messages you get.

If your python program needs to run in a different way, not from a shell script, for example by wsgi, then I'll have more tips for you. The bottom line is: don't forget to source the virtualenv activate script before using your python script that needs it.