So, I have a python script I’d like to run from time to time from the CLI (on Linux) that resides inside a venv. What’s the recommended/intended way to do this?
Write a wrapper shell script and put it inside a $PATH-accessible directory that activates the virtual environment, runs the python script and deactivates the venv again? This seems a bit convoluted, but I can’t think of a better way.

  • Andy
    1·
    2 months ago

    No, I don’t use GHA locally, but the actions are defined to run the same things that I do run locally (e.g. invoke nox). I try to keep the GHA-exclusive boilerplate to a minimum. Steps can be like:

    - name: fetch code
  uses: actions/checkout@v4

- uses: actions/setup-python@v5
  with:
    allow-prereleases: true
    python-version: |
      3.13
      3.12
      3.11
      3.10
      3.9
      3.8
      3.7

- run: pipx install nox

- name: run ward tests in nox environment
  run: nox -s test test_without_toml combine_coverage --force-color
  env:
    PYTHONIOENCODING: utf-8

- name: upload coverage data
  uses: codecov/codecov-action@v4
  with:
    files: ./coverage.json
    token: ${{ secrets.CODECOV_TOKEN }}

    Sometimes if I want a higher level interface to tasks that run nox or other things locally, I use taskipy to define them in my pyproject.toml, like:

    [tool.taskipy.tasks]
fmt = "nox -s fmt"
lock = "nox -s lock"
test = "nox -s test test_without_toml typecheck -p 3.12"
docs = "nox -s render_readme render_api_docs"
    • logging_strict
      1·
      2 months ago

      Thanks for the introduction to taskipy. Think if i need macros, Makefile is the way to go. Supports running targets in parallel and i like performing a check to ensure the virtual environment is activated or the command won’t run.

      .ONESHELL:
.DEFAULT_GOAL := help
SHELL := /bin/bash
APP_NAME := logging_strict

#virtual environment. If 0 issue warning
#Not activated:0
#activated: 1
ifeq ($(VIRTUAL_ENV),)
$(warning virtualenv not activated)
is_venv =
else
is_venv = 1
VENV_BIN := $(VIRTUAL_ENV)/bin
VENV_BIN_PYTHON := python3
PY_X_Y := $(shell $(VENV_BIN_PYTHON) -c 'import platform; t_ver = platform.python_version_tuple(); print(".".join(t_ver[:2]));')
endif

.PHONY: mypy
mypy:					## Static type checker (in strict mode)
ifeq ($(is_venv),1)
	@$(VENV_BIN_PYTHON) -m mypy -p $(APP_NAME)
endif

      make mypy without the virtualenv on will write a warning message why it’s not working!

      • Andy
        1·
        2 months ago

        Sure, but nox is the closer counterpart for in-venv-task definitions. List “sessions” with -l, pick specific sessions to run with -s.

        import nox
from nox.sessions import Session

nox.options.reuse_existing_virtualenvs = True
APP_NAME = 'logging_strict'

@nox.session(python='3.12')
def mypy(session: Session):
    """Static type checker (in strict mode)"""
    session.install('-U', 'mypy', '.')
    session.run('mypy',  '-p', APP_NAME, *session.posargs)

        Unfortunately it doesn’t currently do any parallel runs, but if anyone wants to track/encourage/contribute in that regard, see nox#544.