Error: couldn't start client Python Tools

Environment data

• VS Code version: 1.28.1
• Extension version (available under the Extensions sidebar): 2018.9.0
• OS and version: macOS 10.13.6
• Python version (& distribution if applicable, e.g. Anaconda): Python 3.7.0 Anaconda
• Type of virtual environment used (N/A | venv | virtualenv | conda | …): conda
• Relevant/affected Python packages and their versions: the main Python plugin

Actual behavior

I started using VSCode a few days ago and when I fist downloaded it, it was working perfectly with the Python plugin. Then the next day when I opened VSCode, it gave me the notification “Couldn’t start client Python Tools.” I am unable to open a Python terminal in VSCode or run any Python code in VSCode.

Logs

Output for Python in the Output panel (View→Output, change the drop-down the upper-right of the Output panel to Python)

Starting Microsoft Python language server.
[Error - 1:56:00 PM] Starting client failed
Error: spawn EACCES
	at _errnoException (util.js:1024:11)
	at ChildProcess.spawn (internal/child_process.js:323:11)
	at Object.exports.spawn (child_process.js:514:9)
	at _getServerWorkingDir.then.serverWorkingDir (/Users/micamccall/.vscode/extensions/ms-python.python-2018.9.0/node_modules/vscode-languageclient/lib/main.js:347:40)
	at <anonymous>

Output from Console under the Developer Tools panel (toggle Developer Tools on under Help)

 INFO no standard startup: not the explorer viewlet
TMSyntax.ts:47 Overwriting grammar scope name to file mapping for scope source.yaml.
Old grammar file: file:///Users/micamccall/Applications/Visual%20Studio%20Code.app/Contents/Resources/app/extensions/yaml/syntaxes/yaml.tmLanguage.json.
New grammar file: file:///Users/micamccall/.vscode/extensions/redhat.vscode-yaml-0.0.17/syntaxes/yaml.tmLanguage.json
e.register @ TMSyntax.ts:47
console.ts:136 [Extension Host] Python Extension: Get language server folder name, , Return Value: "languageServer.0.1.42"
console.ts:136 [Extension Host] error: Unhandled Rejection at: Promise [object Promise]. Reason: Error: spawn EACCES.
t.log @ console.ts:136
notificationsAlerts.ts:42 Couldn't start client Python Tools
t.onDidNotificationChange @ notificationsAlerts.ts:42
console.ts:136 [Extension Host] rejected promise not handled within 1 second
t.log @ console.ts:136
mainThreadExtensionService.ts:43 [ms-python.python]spawn EACCES
e.$onExtensionRuntimeError @ mainThreadExtensionService.ts:43
mainThreadExtensionService.ts:44 Error: spawn EACCES
	at _errnoException (util.js:1024:11)
	at ChildProcess.spawn (internal/child_process.js:323:11)
	at Object.exports.spawn (child_process.js:514:9)
	at _getServerWorkingDir.then.serverWorkingDir (/Users/micamccall/.vscode/extensions/ms-python.python-2018.9.0/node_modules/vscode-languageclient/lib/main.js:347:40)
	at <anonymous>

[DonJayamanne]

Looks like the permissions have not been setup for execution of the language server.

• Please could you try to manually set this up, with exec permissions 0764 for the file: /Users/micamccall/.vscode/extensions/ms-python.python-2018.9.0/languageServer.0.1.42/Microsoft.Python.LanguageServer

• If that doesn’t work,

  • Quit VS Code
  • Delete the languageServer.0.1.42 from the above directory.
  • Reload VS Code.
  • Ensure a python file is opened
  • Wait until the necesary files are downloaded and extracted (you should see the progress displayed on the bottom left status bar)
  • Finally, test
  • If it still fails, upload the contents of the Python Output panel and console window (as you have done earlier)

[pylang]

@DonJayamanne I’d love to update mainly to test the new Jupyter features, but the new VSCode simply lags on my machine. I can hardly type a line without it hanging. Since I didn’t have issues prior, I reverted. As mentioned, this issue only arose after I updated.

Thanks anyhow.