Using venv creator creates broken environment in Ubuntu 22.04

Issue

Using venv as creator - virtualenv --creator=venv myenv - creates a broken virtual environment on Ubuntu 22.04. It produces two different activate scripts, one in myenv/bin and one in myenv/local/bin. Depending on which one I activate, either it uses the wrong Python Interpreter or the wrong Pip:

>>> source myenv/bin/activate 
>>> which python3 && which pip3
/home/loki/myenv/bin/python3
/home/loki/.local/bin/pip3
>>> deactivate
>>> source myenv/local/bin/activate
>>> which python3 && which pip3
/usr/bin/python3
/home/loki/myenv/local/bin/pip3

I found this post regarding a change in the sysconfig.get_default_scheme() for Ubuntu 22.04, which might be the reason why virtualenv tries to install into myenv/local/bin instead if just myenv/bin.

Environment

Provide at least:

• OS: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS x86_64
• pip list of the host python where virtualenv is installed:

Package                 Version
----------------------- --------------
apturl                  0.5.2
asn1crypto              1.4.0
bcrypt                  3.2.0
beautifulsoup4          4.10.0
blinker                 1.4
Brlapi                  0.8.3
certifi                 2020.6.20
chardet                 4.0.0
click                   8.0.3
colorama                0.4.4
command-not-found       0.3
cryptography            3.4.8
cupshelpers             1.0
dbus-python             1.2.18
defer                   1.0.6
distlib                 0.3.4
distro                  1.7.0
distro-info             1.1build1
dnspython               2.1.0
duplicity               0.8.21
evdev                   1.4.0
fasteners               0.14.1
filelock                3.6.0
future                  0.18.2
gitinspector            0.4.4
gpg                     1.16.0-unknown
html5lib                1.1
httplib2                0.20.2
idna                    3.3
importlib-metadata      4.6.4
jeepney                 0.7.1
keyring                 23.5.0
language-selector       0.1
launchpadlib            1.10.16
lazr.restfulclient      0.14.4
lazr.uri                1.0.6
lockfile                0.12.2
louis                   3.20.0
lxml                    4.8.0
macaroonbakery          1.3.1
Mako                    1.1.3
Markdown                3.3.6
MarkupSafe              2.0.1
mechanize               0.4.7
menulibre               2.2.2
monotonic               1.6
more-itertools          8.10.0
netifaces               0.11.0
numpy                   1.21.5
oauthlib                3.2.0
olefile                 0.46
paramiko                2.9.3
pbr                     5.9.0
pexpect                 4.8.0
Pillow                  9.0.1
pip                     22.0.4
platformdirs            2.5.1
powerline-status        2.8.2
protobuf                3.12.4
psutil                  5.9.0
ptyprocess              0.7.0
pycairo                 1.20.1
pycups                  2.0.1
Pygments                2.11.2
PyGObject               3.42.0
PyJWT                   2.3.0
pymacaroons             0.13.0
PyNaCl                  1.5.0
pyparsing               2.4.7
pyRFC3339               1.1
python-apt              2.3.0+ubuntu2
python-dateutil         2.8.1
python-debian           0.1.43ubuntu1
python-magic            0.4.24
pytz                    2022.1
pyxdg                   0.27
PyYAML                  5.4.1
reportlab               3.6.8
requests                2.25.1
requests-toolbelt       0.9.1
scour                   0.38.2
screen-resolution-extra 0.0.0
SecretStorage           3.3.1
setproctitle            1.2.2
setuptools              62.1.0
six                     1.16.0
soupsieve               2.3.1
sshuttle                1.0.5
stevedore               3.5.0
systemd-python          234
ubuntu-advantage-tools  27.8
ubuntu-drivers-common   0.0.0
ufw                     0.36.1
unattended-upgrades     0.1
urllib3                 1.26.5
usb-creator             0.3.7
vboxapi                 1.0
virtualenv              20.14.1
virtualenv-clone        0.5.7
virtualenvwrapper       4.8.4
wadllib                 1.3.6
webencodings            0.5.1
wheel                   0.37.1
xdg                     5
xkit                    0.0.0
zipp                    1.0.0

Output of the virtual environment creation

virtualenv --creator=venv myenv -vvv --with-traceback

287 setup logging to NOTSET [DEBUG report:39]
291 find interpreter for spec PythonSpec(path=/usr/bin/python3) [INFO builtin:62]
291 proposed PythonInfo(spec=CPython3.10.4.final.0-64, exe=/usr/bin/python3, platform=linux, version='3.10.4 (main, Apr  2 2022, 09:04:19) [GCC 11.2.0]', encoding_fs_io=utf-8-utf-8) [INFO builtin:69]
291 accepted PythonInfo(spec=CPython3.10.4.final.0-64, exe=/usr/bin/python3, platform=linux, version='3.10.4 (main, Apr  2 2022, 09:04:19) [GCC 11.2.0]', encoding_fs_io=utf-8-utf-8) [DEBUG builtin:71]
292 filesystem is case-sensitive [DEBUG info:29]
308 create virtual environment via Venv(dest=/home/loki/myenv, clear=False, no_vcs_ignore=False, global=False, describe=CPython3Posix) [INFO session:52]
309 create folder /home/loki/myenv/local/lib/python3.10/dist-packages [DEBUG _sync:24]
309 create virtualenv import hook file /home/loki/myenv/local/lib/python3.10/dist-packages/_virtualenv.pth [DEBUG api:95]
309 create /home/loki/myenv/local/lib/python3.10/dist-packages/_virtualenv.py [DEBUG api:98]
309 ============================== target debug ============================== [DEBUG session:54]
310 debug via /home/loki/myenv/local/bin/python /home/loki/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/virtualenv/create/debug.py [DEBUG creator:224]
309 {
  "out": "",
  "err": "No such file or directory",
  "returncode": 2,
  "exception": "SyntaxError('invalid syntax', ('<unknown>', 0, 0, '', 0, 0))"
} [DEBUG session:55]
310 add seed packages via FromAppData(download=False, pip=bundle, setuptools=bundle, wheel=bundle, via=copy, app_data_dir=/home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv) [INFO session:59]
311 got embed update of distribution pip from /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/embed/3/pip.json [DEBUG via_disk_folder:135]
312 got embed update of distribution wheel from /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/embed/3/wheel.json [DEBUG via_disk_folder:135]
313 got embed update of distribution setuptools from /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/embed/3/setuptools.json [DEBUG via_disk_folder:135]
314 got embed update of distribution setuptools from /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/embed/3/setuptools.json [DEBUG via_disk_folder:135]
314 got embed update of distribution pip from /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/embed/3/pip.json [DEBUG via_disk_folder:135]
314 got embed update of distribution wheel from /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/embed/3/wheel.json [DEBUG via_disk_folder:135]
315 install setuptools from wheel /home/loki/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/virtualenv/seed/wheels/embed/setuptools-62.1.0-py3-none-any.whl via CopyPipInstall [DEBUG via_app_data:49]
315 install pip from wheel /home/loki/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/virtualenv/seed/wheels/embed/pip-22.0.4-py3-none-any.whl via CopyPipInstall [DEBUG via_app_data:49]
315 Attempting to acquire lock 140460470067568 on /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/pip-22.0.4-py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:169]
315 Attempting to acquire lock 140460469877152 on /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/setuptools-62.1.0-py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:169]
315 Lock 140460470067568 acquired on /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/pip-22.0.4-py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:173]
315 Lock 140460469877152 acquired on /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/setuptools-62.1.0-py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:173]
315 install wheel from wheel /home/loki/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/virtualenv/seed/wheels/embed/wheel-0.37.1-py2.py3-none-any.whl via CopyPipInstall [DEBUG via_app_data:49]
316 Attempting to release lock 140460470067568 on /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/pip-22.0.4-py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:203]
316 Lock 140460470067568 released on /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/pip-22.0.4-py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:206]
316 Attempting to acquire lock 140460467461504 on /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/wheel-0.37.1-py2.py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:169]
316 Attempting to release lock 140460469877152 on /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/setuptools-62.1.0-py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:203]
316 Lock 140460467461504 acquired on /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/wheel-0.37.1-py2.py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:173]
316 Lock 140460469877152 released on /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/setuptools-62.1.0-py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:206]
316 Attempting to release lock 140460467461504 on /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/wheel-0.37.1-py2.py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:203]
316 copy directory /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/pip-22.0.4-py3-none-any/pip-22.0.4.dist-info to /home/loki/myenv/local/lib/python3.10/dist-packages/pip-22.0.4.dist-info [DEBUG _sync:51]
316 Lock 140460467461504 released on /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/wheel-0.37.1-py2.py3-none-any.lock [DEBUG _api:206]
317 copy /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/setuptools-62.1.0-py3-none-any/setuptools-62.1.0.virtualenv to /home/loki/myenv/local/lib/python3.10/dist-packages/setuptools-62.1.0.virtualenv [DEBUG _sync:51]
317 copy /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/wheel-0.37.1-py2.py3-none-any/wheel-0.37.1.virtualenv to /home/loki/myenv/local/lib/python3.10/dist-packages/wheel-0.37.1.virtualenv [DEBUG _sync:51]
317 copy /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/setuptools-62.1.0-py3-none-any/distutils-precedence.pth to /home/loki/myenv/local/lib/python3.10/dist-packages/distutils-precedence.pth [DEBUG _sync:51]
317 copy directory /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/wheel-0.37.1-py2.py3-none-any/wheel to /home/loki/myenv/local/lib/python3.10/dist-packages/wheel [DEBUG _sync:51]
318 copy directory /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/setuptools-62.1.0-py3-none-any/_distutils_hack to /home/loki/myenv/local/lib/python3.10/dist-packages/_distutils_hack [DEBUG _sync:51]
319 copy directory /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/setuptools-62.1.0-py3-none-any/setuptools to /home/loki/myenv/local/lib/python3.10/dist-packages/setuptools [DEBUG _sync:51]
319 copy directory /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/pip-22.0.4-py3-none-any/pip to /home/loki/myenv/local/lib/python3.10/dist-packages/pip [DEBUG _sync:51]
322 copy directory /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/wheel-0.37.1-py2.py3-none-any/wheel-0.37.1.dist-info to /home/loki/myenv/local/lib/python3.10/dist-packages/wheel-0.37.1.dist-info [DEBUG _sync:51]
326 generated console scripts wheel3.10 wheel3 wheel-3.10 wheel [DEBUG base:45]
347 copy directory /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/setuptools-62.1.0-py3-none-any/pkg_resources to /home/loki/myenv/local/lib/python3.10/dist-packages/pkg_resources [DEBUG _sync:51]
352 copy directory /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/setuptools-62.1.0-py3-none-any/setuptools-62.1.0.dist-info to /home/loki/myenv/local/lib/python3.10/dist-packages/setuptools-62.1.0.dist-info [DEBUG _sync:51]
354 generated console scripts  [DEBUG base:45]
374 copy /home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv/wheel/3.10/image/1/CopyPipInstall/pip-22.0.4-py3-none-any/pip-22.0.4.virtualenv to /home/loki/myenv/local/lib/python3.10/dist-packages/pip-22.0.4.virtualenv [DEBUG _sync:51]
375 generated console scripts pip3 pip pip3.10 pip-3.10 [DEBUG base:45]
375 add activators for Bash, CShell, Fish, Nushell, PowerShell, Python [INFO session:64]
376 write /home/loki/myenv/pyvenv.cfg [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:34]
376     home = /usr/bin [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:38]
376     implementation = CPython [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:38]
376     version_info = 3.10.4.final.0 [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:38]
376     virtualenv = 20.14.1 [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:38]
376     include-system-site-packages = false [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:38]
376     version = 3.10.4 [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:38]
376 created virtual environment CPython3.10.4.final.0-64 in 90ms
  creator Venv(dest=/home/loki/myenv, clear=False, no_vcs_ignore=False, global=False, describe=CPython3Posix)
  seeder FromAppData(download=False, pip=bundle, setuptools=bundle, wheel=bundle, via=copy, app_data_dir=/home/loki/.local/share/virtualenv)
    added seed packages: pip==22.0.4, setuptools==62.1.0, wheel==0.37.1
  activators BashActivator,CShellActivator,FishActivator,NushellActivator,PowerShellActivator,PythonActivator [WARNING __main__:19]

[rkucsora]

I could create a Dockerfile to reproduce the issue. It requires setuptools>=60.0.0

FROM ubuntu:22.04

RUN apt-get update \
    && apt-get upgrade -y \
    && apt-get install -y \
    python3.10 \
    python3-pip \
    python3-virtualenv

RUN pip install setuptools==60.0.0
RUN virtualenv --creator=venv myenv 
CMD ["ls", "-a", "myenv"]

It prints

bin  include  lib  lib64  local  pyvenv.cfg

There are both bin and local directories. Checking python and pip as mentioned in the first post:

root@319a6ef851db:/# source myenv/bin/activate
(myenv) root@319a6ef851db:/# which python3 && which pip3
/myenv/bin/python3
/usr/bin/pip3
(myenv) root@319a6ef851db:/# deactivate
root@319a6ef851db:/# source myenv/local/bin/activate
(myenv) root@319a6ef851db:/# which python3 && which pip3
/usr/bin/python3
/myenv/local/bin/pip3

[gaborbernat]

This project is only responsible of the builtin creator. The venv creator is managed by debian so for that you’re looking at filling a bug for that projects tracker.