Can't debug; fails to read interpreter info from storage. Always "You need to select a Python interpreter..."

[mnmkay]

extensions:
Python v2024.0.0
Python Debugger v2024.0.0
(also isort v2023.10.1, Pylance v2023.12.1. never manually installed conda and the exe in not in PATH)
I've tried removing all ms-python.* folders in vscode extensions directory and reinstalled.

The issue and test case are as follows:
I create a new empty folder.
I place 1 empty .py file in it.
I open this folder as a workspace using File->Open Folder.
*** In the VSCode user data (workspaceStorage) folder this now creates a new subfolder with state.vscdb etc.

At this point I am able to run the python debugger on the empty .py file, with or without launch configuration. Never asked to select interpreter. I have 3 versions installed which it finds, 2 of which are >= 3.7. (as well dead location(s) of no-longer-installed versions that it tries to find with ENOENT error, according to Output/Python console). If I select either 3.7+ version manually (Python: Select Interpeter), either loads no problem; debugger command line run in PowerShell is: ".. <.../ms-python-debugpy-2024.0.0-win32-x64/..." etc. Extension seems to work fine.

The problem:
I now close the folder with File->Close Folder. I reopen the folder.
*** The workspaceStorage/state.vscdb now have pre-existed

I can no longer run the debugger. Any attempting to do so fails with dialog telling me "You need to select a Python interpreter...". I select one, but then always fails without running any shell, with dialog "Debug stopped." Even though the interpreter was selected in previous step or I select it again manually otherwise, it always asks again at the next attempt. It fails to read/store the selection.

However note that now, at any time, if I create a launch.json with the provided template then change the configuration type from "debugpy" back to "python", it will work with the version I have selected. PowerShell command is: ".. <.../ms-python-python-2024.0.0..."

[mnmkay]

Luckily I've tracked it down to this unrelated setting. I remove it before VSCode starts and the problem goes away and I can debug now. I have Microsoft C/C++ extension installed.

	"extensions.experimental.affinity": {
		"ms-vscode.cpptools": 2
	},

I'm having another random inexplicable problem that I hope also goes away by this. Looks like experimental affinity is indeed an invitation for strange problems.

[mmaeusezahl]

I'm also affected by this problem. With default settings and otherwise new workspace I'm always running into "You need to select a Python interpreter...".

I'm working on Manjaro and have tried both the stable and pre-release versions of the Python extension. For me the aforementioned solutions didn't work alone. What somewhat worked for me was to:

• manually clear the workspace storage for the affected workspace by removing the respective folder in $HOME/.config/Code/User/workspaceStorage/
• using "python" instead of "debugpy" in the launch.conf

Doing only one of both things is not sufficient. I have no other extensions installed.

I also noticed that the issue doesn't appear when installing the Python extension during a VSCode session.

Would be happy to supply more info if helpful since this problem is really breaking for me.

[mmaeusezahl]

After writing the previous comment I tried something else:

• I deleted the whole $HOME/.vscode
• I deleted the whole $HOME/.config/Code/
• I also have the manual shell integration in place venv does not activate on my manjaro system for zsh vscode-python#22899 since I was also affected by venvs not activating...

After restarting vscode everything now works as expected (even with debugpy).
I know that the newest version of vscode (1.86.2) was pulled in through a system update yesterday (when the issue started) so I presume that it was the origin of the issues and the configuration that was carried over from the previous version did not play as intended with the new version...

[paulacamargo25]

Thanks @mmaeusezahl it looks like an issue in vscode, ill transfer the issue to them.

[Imanuel-Miz]

@mmaeusezahl , I had the same issue, turns out you don't need to completely remove the $HOME/.config/Code/ folder.
Inside this folder, there is a settings.json file, I found inside some "experimental" settings, after removing them, and restart vscode - issue solved.