My python scripts in virtualenv fail with error "bad interpreter: Invalid argument"

Question

[UPDATE] This seems to be a problem with the Parallels VM (https://forum.parallels.com/threads/execution-files-located-on-shared-folders-mount-with-exec.352815/). Thanks to all who commented!

I have a strange problem with my virtualenv (on Ubuntu 20.04). I activate my virtualenv as follows.

aravind@vetinari:test_venv$ rm -r venv
aravind@vetinari:test_venv$ python -m venv venv
aravind@vetinari:test_venv$ source venv/bin/activate

I then install an empty package with one script called test_version.py which is also successful.

(venv) aravind@vetinari:test_venv$ python -m pip install -e .
Obtaining file:///media/psf/Home/projects/test_venv
Installing collected packages: test-venv
  Attempting uninstall: test-venv
    Found existing installation: test-venv 0.0.1.dev0
    Not uninstalling test-venv at /media/psf/Home/projects/test_venv, outside environment /media/psf/Home/projects/test_venv/venv
    Can't uninstall 'test-venv'. No files were found to uninstall.
  Running setup.py develop for test-venv
Successfully installed test-venv

When I run it with the virtualenv python, it runs fine.

(venv) aravind@vetinari:test_venv$ /media/psf/Home/projects/test_venv/venv/bin/python /media/psf/Home/projects/test_venv/venv/bin/test_version.py 
3.8.10

However, when I run it as a standalone script, I get this error.

(venv) aravind@vetinari:test_venv$ /media/psf/Home/projects/test_venv/venv/bin/test_version.py 
bash: /media/psf/Home/projects/test_venv/venv/bin/test_version.py: /media/psf/Home/projects/test_venv/venv/bin/python: bad interpreter: Invalid argument

Here are the contents of the installed script.

(venv) aravind@vetinari:test_venv$ cat /media/psf/Home/projects/test_venv/venv/bin/test_version.py 
#!/media/psf/Home/projects/test_venv/venv/bin/python
# EASY-INSTALL-DEV-SCRIPT: 'test-venv==0.0.1.dev0','test_version.py'
__requires__ = 'test-venv==0.0.1.dev0'
__import__('pkg_resources').require('test-venv==0.0.1.dev0')
__file__ = '/media/psf/Home/projects/test_venv/bin/test_version.py'
with open(__file__) as f:
    exec(compile(f.read(), __file__, 'exec'))

Note that the shebang interpreter (media/psf/Home/projects/test_venv/venv/bin/python) in the script is present and it works fine when I execute it with that python but not when I run it as a standalone script.

Here are the contents of the script.

(venv) aravind@vetinari:test_venv$ cat bin/test_version.py
#!/usr/bin/env python
import platform; print(platform.python_version())

and the setup.py.

(venv) aravind@vetinari:test_venv$ cat setup.py
#!/usr/bin/env python

from setuptools import setup, find_packages

setup(name='test_venv',
      version='0.0.1dev',
      description='Test',
      author='Aravind Sundaresan',
      maintainer='Aravind Sundaresan',
      packages=find_packages(),
      scripts=["bin/test_version.py",],
      install_requires=[],
      zip_safe=False
      )

Please provide setup.py and other relevant files to reproduce the problem. — Peter Badida
– Peter Badida, Commented Sep 27, 2021 at 20:04
#!/media/psf/Home/projects/test_venv/venv/bin/python Does that program exist? — John Gordon
– John Gordon, Commented Sep 27, 2021 at 20:07
@PeterBadida I have updated the question with the information you requested. Is there an easy way to provide the package? — Aravind Sundaresan
– Aravind Sundaresan, Commented Sep 27, 2021 at 20:27
If not, my next step would be to pull out strace and watch for the actual syscall that fails. — Charles Duffy
– Charles Duffy, Commented Sep 27, 2021 at 20:30
@AravindSundaresan I added the parallels tag for you. Re the running, you're facing a rather nasty issue. Consider creating a new question just for Parallels I guess or simply switch to a different emulator for the quickest fix. Maybe there's even a simple converter somewhere online and if not, check the history command for your VM, copy-paste files to host and reinstall in a different emulator. — Peter Badida
– Peter Badida, Commented Sep 28, 2021 at 21:14

Peter Badida · Accepted Answer · 2021-09-27 21:12:48Z

1

Ah, after the comment I see you're sharing a folder. Virtual environment is OS-specific, therefore it's a different executable (similar like here).

MacOS venv works only on MacOS. Linux venv works only on Linux. Create venv from scratch in that VM.

file <path to python> should show the executables differ, thus bash can't execute it because it can't be executed on Linux (not an ELF binary).

edited Sep 27, 2021 at 21:12

answered Sep 27, 2021 at 20:51

Peter Badida

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2 Comments

Aravind Sundaresan Over a year ago

Thanks for the answer, Peter. I want to clarify that while the folder is shared from the host (Mac) the virtualenv was created on Linux as you suggested. I was not trying to share a virtualenv across OSes. This error happens when the virtualenv is on a shared folder so it definitely seems to be related to that. However, I'm still trying to figure out what the issue is.

Peter Badida Over a year ago

@AravindSundaresan never heard of Parallels, but I'm glad you found the problem. Perhaps try to utilize a different emulator such as VirtualBox or VMWare player or even switch to Docker for a lightweight usage of the platform (works on MacOS and Windows too).

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