Spike - Can we use `conda list` and `conda info` all the info we need to work with conda

Can we stop using the environments.txt file?

Currently when we discover interpreter environments we walk through a list of locators. For conda we have CondaEnvService and CondaEnvFileService (in that order). CondaEnvService uses the conda command and CondaEnvFileService uses the .conda/environments.txt file. So this spike boils down to “can be get rid of CondaEnvFileService?”

Getting environments from mini conda does not work

• This could be a bigger problem. (possible it fails with vanilla installs of latest version of Conda) TODO:
• Need to test current extension on Windows, Mac and Linux.
  • Latest anaconda
  • Latest mini conda
  • Test discovery of conda environments (ensure they are listed in environment list)
• Try to find a better way e.g. conda run (check upstream on Conda repo for recommendations)

See https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-python/issues/6802 & #6854 This is Conda related. TODO:

• We need to identify a better (proper way) to get this working (adding paths, etc is a hack and we’re trying to get away from such hacks when dealing with Conda).

[karthiknadig]

On linux, tested from latest to Anaconda3-5.3.1 which uses conda 4.4.10. I am able to access environment data using conda list.

And via conda info:

If the minimum version we are planning to support is conda 4.6* then I think we can safely get rid of CondaEnvFileService.

[brettcannon]

The real trick is the conda version which is updated independently of Anaconda releases. And we have been planning to support at least conda 4.6 and newer due to relying on conda run going forward.