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Unable to debug tests: Invalid message: Found duplicate in "env": PATH #261
Description
Activity
I know there also exists microsoft/vscode-python#10722, but as the debugger is now a separate extension I was not sure if this should now be handled in this repo?
I tried to reproduce this issue on a second Windows machine (Windows 11), but there it worked fine.
The problem occurs on my work laptop with Windows 10.What I also tried so far:
- Cleaned all contents from user
settings.json: no success - Disabled all extensions, only enabled Python and Python Debugger extension: no success
There is no
.envfile in the workspace:C:. │ test_something.py │ ├───.vscode │ settings.json │ └───__pycache__ test_something.cpython-38.pycFor reference, here is my full user
settings.json:User settings.json
{ "workbench.startupEditor": "none", "workbench.editorAssociations": { "*.ipynb": "jupyter-notebook" }, "notebook.cellToolbarLocation": { "default": "right", "jupyter-notebook": "left" }, "terminal.integrated.defaultProfile.windows": "Command Prompt", "cmake.configureOnOpen": false, "csharp.suppressDotnetInstallWarning": true, "python.formatting.provider": "black", "[python]": { "editor.defaultFormatter": "ms-python.black-formatter", "editor.formatOnType": true }, "files.exclude": { "**/__pycache__": true, "**/*.pyc": true }, "testOnSave.testCommand": "", "python.defaultInterpreterPath": "C:\\Python38\\Scripts\\python.exe", "explorer.confirmDragAndDrop": false, "editor.formatOnSave": true, "workbench.iconTheme": "vscode-icons", "plantuml.server": "...", "plantuml.render": "PlantUMLServer", "remote.SSH.remotePlatform": { "dev-ec2": "linux", "ssm-dev-ec2": "linux" }, "redhat.telemetry.enabled": false, "vsicons.dontShowNewVersionMessage": true, "java.configuration.runtimes": [ { "name": "...", "path": "..." } ], "maven.settingsFile": "C:\\ProgramData\\chocolatey\\lib\\maven\\apache-maven-3.8.6\\conf\\settings.xml", "java.configuration.maven.userSettings": "C:\\ProgramData\\chocolatey\\lib\\maven\\apache-maven-3.8.7\\conf\\settings.xml", "testOnSave.languageId": "", "editor.stickyScroll.enabled": true, "git.autofetch": true, "markdown.validate.enabled": true, "git.confirmSync": false, "eslint.workingDirectories": ["frontend"], "workbench.colorTheme": "Default Dark+", "prettier.printWidth": 160, "[html]": { "editor.defaultFormatter": "esbenp.prettier-vscode" }, "sonarlint.rules": { "python:S107": { "level": "off" } }, "java.configuration.maven.globalSettings": "C:\\ProgramData\\chocolatey\\lib\\maven\\apache-maven-3.8.7\\conf\\settings.xml", "java.configuration.updateBuildConfiguration": "automatic", "boot-java.rewrite.reconcile": true, "java.format.settings.url": "...", "[json]": { "editor.defaultFormatter": "esbenp.prettier-vscode" }, "maven.terminal.useJavaHome": true, "explorer.confirmDelete": false, "[typescript]": { "editor.defaultFormatter": "esbenp.prettier-vscode" }, "prettier.singleQuote": true, "pylint.importStrategy": "fromEnvironment", "editor.renderWhitespace": "trailing", "robot.variables": {}, "editor.guides.bracketPairs": "active", "editor.detectIndentation": false, "window.zoomLevel": -1, "[markdown]": { "editor.defaultFormatter": "esbenp.prettier-vscode" }, "jupyter.askForKernelRestart": false, "[jsonc]": { "editor.defaultFormatter": "esbenp.prettier-vscode" }, "robot.completions.keywords.prefixImportName": true, "continue.telemetryEnabled": false, "continue.enableTabAutocomplete": false, "mypy-type-checker.importStrategy": "fromEnvironment", "mypy-type-checker.args": ["--ignore-missing-imports", "--implicit-optional"], "accessibility.signals.terminalQuickFix": { "sound": "on" }, "markdownlint.config": { "MD024": { "siblings_only": true } }, "python.experiments.enabled": false }In addition, the config setting for
Python: Env Fileis set to:${workspaceFolder}/.env(both in User and in Workspace settings).If there is any additional information that I can provide to help find the root cause, please let me know.
- Cleaned all contents from user
With the following
launch.jsondebugging works:{ // Use IntelliSense to learn about possible attributes. // Hover to view descriptions of existing attributes. // For more information, visit: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=830387 "version": "0.2.0", "configurations": [ { "name": "Python Debugger: Debug Test", "purpose": ["debug-test"], "type": "debugpy", "request": "launch", "program": "${file}", "console": "integratedTerminal" } ] }Changing
consoletointernalConsolemakes the issue reappear.
Shouldn't this have been fixed via microsoft/vscode-python#21033?Reacted by Morgan Joyce- assigned and unassigned
on Aug 8, 2024 Hello! Sorry for the delay but are you still experiencing this issue?
Hi! Yes, the issue still exists. The workaround with the modified
launch.jsonand the use of"console": "integratedTerminal"is still required.I am using the current version 1.93.1:
Version: 1.93.1 (system setup) Commit: 38c31bc77e0dd6ae88a4e9cc93428cc27a56ba40 Date: 2024-09-11T17:20:05.685Z Electron: 30.4.0 ElectronBuildId: 10073054 Chromium: 124.0.6367.243 Node.js: 20.15.1 V8: 12.4.254.20-electron.0 OS: Windows_NT x64 10.0.19045Reacted by Eleanor BoydReacted by rwijtvlietJust to add a datapoint: I have the same issue. I'm also on Win10, but I get the error regardless of
launch.jsonhaving"console": "integratedTerminal"or"console": "internalConsole".Reacted by Eleanor Boyd, Bogdan Hlevca and DmitryI found what caused the issue for me. There was an incorrect entry in the Path environment variable in windows. There was a folderpath which contained a
/, which is forbidden under windows. (Going from the name, it was caused by GlazeWM, but I'm not pointing fingers.)After removing the entry, I could debug tests again.
Hope that is helpful for some of you; maybe the error message could be improved to reflect this possible error source.
Reacted by Eleanor Boydtmp modify handler.py:
if sys.platform == "win32": # Environment variables are case-insensitive on Win32, so we need to normalize # both dicts to make sure that env vars specified in the debug configuration # overwrite the global env vars correctly. If debug config has entries that # differ in case only, that's an error. env = {k.upper(): v for k, v in os.environ.items()} new_env_changes = {} for k, v in env_changes.items(): k_upper = k.upper() if k_upper in new_env_changes: if new_env_changes[k_upper] == v: continue else: # modify by chenshichao 2025.03.19 if True: new_env_changes[k_upper] = f"{new_env_changes[k_upper]}:{v}" else: raise request.isnt_valid( 'Found duplicate in "env": {0}.'.format(new_env_changes[k_upper]) ) new_env_changes[k_upper] = vrwijtvliet what path was the
incorrect entry in the Path environment variable in windows.? Is this something the debugger extension added because if so I can investigate a fix there. Otherwise the error message update would be useful- you would just want it to communicate there is a potential problem in the PATH variable?also 陈先生 (@ChenShiChao), is this a code suggestion or a fix for what rwijtvliet mentioned above?
Had the same problem. Reinstallation of VSCode solved the issue. 🤷
EDIT:
Perhaps some further information is appropriate.I had the exact same problem as described by this Issue: When selecting "Debug Test" from the editor the debugger failed to start and a popup dialog with the message "Invalid message: Found duplicate in "env": PATH." was displayed.
What did I try?:
- I checked my environment variables (see here). Nothing out of the ordinary. => Did not help in my case.
- Used older versions of the "Python" and "Python Debugger" extension (in various combinations) => Did not help at all.
- Added the property "purpose" with the value "["debug-test"]" to my launch configuration (saw that here) => I could execute the debugger exactly once, then the same message reappeared. I had to restart VSCode in order to use the debugger again (once). Very weird, I know.
What did help?:
- I was frustrated because it seemed to work on my colleagues' computers, which had basically the same configuration. So I just installed VSCode again (did not even uninstall VSCode previously).
=> Works like a charm again (without any changes to my launch configuration).
Reacted by Eleanor BoydDaniel (@DI84) I experienced the same issue under the same conditions. I'm about to attempt re-installing my VSC.
Daniel (@DI84) no luck despite re-installing it.EDIT:
I did have some duplicated path entries (both within the user and between the machine ones - courtesy of window's nmap or npcap tool I believe, I regret installingit) and some that ended with a slash.
After deleting them the issue didn't go away. I also attempted to reinstall VSC but no luck.However the issue went away after rebooting. So do try that as well.
Hey Karthik Nadig (@karthiknadig), this issue might need further attention.
Andreas Finkler (@DudeNr33), you can help us out by closing this issue if the problem no longer exists, or adding more information.
I don't have access to the machine any more where this problem occurred, so I cannot really help any further here.
Printing out the actual duplicated entries in the error messages (or some log) would probably help others who have this problem to fix it.Hey Karthik Nadig (@karthiknadig), this issue might need further attention.
Andreas Finkler (@DudeNr33), you can help us out by closing this issue if the problem no longer exists, or adding more information.
I had the same issue until I added "purpose" : "debug-test".
If I comment out "type": "debugpy", I see the same problem.- assigned and unassigned
on Nov 3, 2025 Don't know if this is relevant, but I am having this issue when using a .env file in my settings.json. If I remove the file, test debugging works (but the rest of my project doesn't).
Let me know if you need more info or if this is not the right place to comment about this.
Type: Bug
Plugin Versions
Python: v2024.2.1
Python Debugger: v2024.2.0
Behaviour
Expected vs. Actual
Expected: When selecting "debug test" from test runner or the editor, the debugger should start.
Actual: Debugger fails to start. Popup dialog with message "Invalid message: Found duplicate in "env": PATH." is displayed.
Steps to reproduce:
Diagnostic data
python.languageServersetting: DefaultOutput for
Pythonin theOutputpanel (View→Output, change the drop-down the upper-right of theOutputpanel toPython)Output for Python Debugger
``` 2024-03-12 17:26:32.337 [info] Name: Python Debugger 2024-03-12 17:26:32.337 [info] Module: debugpy 2024-03-12 17:27:29.664 [info] DAP Server launched with command: C:\Python38\python.exe c:\Users\z003emnm\.vscode\extensions\ms-python.debugpy-2024.2.0-win32-x64\bundled\libs\debugpy\adapter 2024-03-12 17:28:25.647 [info] DAP Server launched with command: C:\Python38\python.exe c:\Users\z003emnm\.vscode\extensions\ms-python.debugpy-2024.2.0-win32-x64\bundled\libs\debugpy\adapter ```
User Settings
Extension version: 2024.2.0
VS Code version: Code 1.87.0 (019f4d1419fbc8219a181fab7892ebccf7ee29a2, 2024-02-27T23:41:44.469Z)
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.19045
Modes:
System Info
canvas_oop_rasterization: enabled_on
direct_rendering_display_compositor: disabled_off_ok
gpu_compositing: enabled
multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on
opengl: enabled_on
rasterization: enabled
raw_draw: disabled_off_ok
skia_graphite: disabled_off
video_decode: enabled
video_encode: enabled
vulkan: disabled_off
webgl: enabled
webgl2: enabled
webgpu: enabled
A/B Experiments