===============
Troubleshooting
===============

Using conda in Windows Batch script exits early
===============================================

In conda 4.6+, the way that you interact with conda goes through a batch script (``%PREFIX%\condabin\conda.bat``).
Unfortunately, this means it's a little complicated to use conda from other batch scripts. When using batch
scripts from within batch scripts, you must prefix your command with ``CALL``. If you do not do this, your batch
script that calls conda will exit immediately after the conda usage. In other words, if you write this in a .bat file:

   .. code-block::

      conda create myenv python
      conda activate myenv
      echo test

Neither the activation, nor the echo will happen. You must write this in your batch script:

   .. code-block::

      CALL conda create myenv python
      CALL conda activate myenv
      echo test

This is known behavior with cmd.exe, and we have not found any way to change it.
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4798879/how-do-i-run-a-batch-script-from-within-a-batch-script/4798965

.. _mkl_library:

NumPy MKL library load failed
=============================

Error messages like

.. code-block::

    Intel MKL FATAL ERROR: Cannot load mkl_intel_thread.dll

or

.. code-block::

    The ordinal 241 could not be located in the the dynamic link library

Cause
-----

NumPy is unable to load the correct MKL or Intel OpenMP runtime libraries. This
is almost always caused by one of two things:

  1. The environment with NumPy has not been activated.
  2. Another software vendor has installed MKL or Intel OpenMP (libiomp5md.dll)
     files into the C:\\Windows\\System32 folder. These files are being loaded
     before Anaconda's and they're not compatible.

Solution
--------

If you are not activating your environments, start with doing that. There's more
info at :ref:`Activating environments <activate-env>`. If you are still stuck, you may need to consider
more drastic measures.

  #. Remove any MKL-related files from C:\\Windows\\System32. We recommend
     renaming them to add .bak to the filename to effectively hide them. Observe
     if any other software breaks. Try moving the DLL files alongside the .exe of
     the software that broke. If it works again, you can keep things in the
     moved state - Anaconda doesn't need MKL in System32, and no other software should need it either. If
     you identify software that is installing software here, please contact the
     creators of that software. Inform them that their practice of installing
     MKL to a global location is fragile and is breaking other people's software
     and wasting a lot of time. See the list of guilty parties below.
  #. You may try a special DLL loading mode that Anaconda builds into Python.
     This changes the DLL search path from System32 first to System32 as another
     entry on PATH, allowing libraries in your conda environment to be found
     before the libraries in System32. Control of this feature is done with
     environment variables. Only Python builds beyond these builds will react to
     these environment variables:

       * Python 2.7.15 build 14
       * Python 3.6.8 build 7
       * Python 3.7.2 build 8

     To update Python from the defaults channel::

       conda update -c defaults python

     .. note::
        Anaconda has built special patches into its builds of Python to enable
        this functionality. If you get your Python package from somewhere else
        (e.g. conda-forge), these flags may not do anything.

     Control environment variables:

       * ``CONDA_DLL_SEARCH_MODIFICATION_ENABLE``
       * ``CONDA_DLL_SEARCH_MODIFICATION_DEBUG``
       * ``CONDA_DLL_SEARCH_MODIFICATION_NEVER_ADD_WINDOWS_DIRECTORY``
       * ``CONDA_DLL_SEARCH_MODIFICATION_NEVER_ADD_CWD``

     To set variables on Windows, you may use either the CLI or a Windows GUI.

       * CLI: https://superuser.com/questions/79612/setting-and-getting-windows-environment-variables-from-the-command-prompt/79614
       * GUI: http://www.dowdandassociates.com/blog/content/howto-set-an-environment-variable-in-windows-gui/

     These should be set to a value of ``1`` to enable them.  For example, in a terminal::

       set CONDA_DLL_SEARCH_MODIFICATION_ENABLE=1

    .. note::
       Only ``CONDA_DLL_SEARCH_MODIFICATION_ENABLE`` should be set finally.

List of known software that installs Intel libraries to C:\\Windows\\System32:

* Amplitube, by IK Multimedia
* ASIO4ALL, by Michael Tippach

If you find others, please let us know. If you're on this list and you want to
fix things, let us know. In either case, the conda issue tracker at
https://github.com/conda/conda/issues is the best way to reach us.

SSL connection errors
=====================

This is a broad umbrella of errors with many causes. Here are some we've seen.

CondaHTTPError: HTTP 000 CONNECTION FAILED
------------------------------------------

If you're on Windows and you see this error, look a little further down in the
error text. Do you see something like this?::

    SSLError(MaxRetryError('HTTPSConnectionPool(host=\'repo.anaconda.com\', port=443): Max retries exceeded with url: /pkgs/r/win-32/repodata.json.bz2 (Caused by SSLError("Can\'t connect to HTTPS URL because the SSL module is not available."))'))

The key part there is the last bit::

    Caused by SSLError("Can\'t connect to HTTPS URL because the SSL module is not available.")

Conda is having problems because it can't find the OpenSSL libraries that it needs.

Cause
~~~~~

You may observe this error cropping up after a conda update. More recent
versions of conda and more recent builds of Python are more strict about
requiring activation of environments. We're working on better error messages for
them, but here's the story for now. Windows relies on the PATH environment
variable as the way to locate libraries that are not in the immediate folder,
and also not in the C:\\Windows\\System32 folder. Searching for libraries in the
PATH folders goes from left to right. If you choose to put Anaconda's folders on
PATH, there are several of them:

  * (install root)
  * (install root)/Library/(MSYS2 env)/bin ## dependent on MSYS2 packages
  * (install root)/Library/mingw-w64/bin
  * (install root)/Library/usr/bin
  * (install root)/Library/bin
  * (install root)/Scripts
  * (install root)/bin
  * (install root)/condabin

Early installers for Anaconda put these on PATH. That was ultimately fragile
because Anaconda isn't the only software on the system. If other software had
similarly named executables or libraries, and came earlier on PATH, Anaconda
could break. On the flip side, Anaconda could break other software if Anaconda
were earlier in the PATH order and shadowed any other executables or libraries.
To make this easier, we began recommending "activation" instead of modifying
PATH. Activation is a tool where conda sets your PATH, and also runs any custom
package scripts which are often used to set additional environment variables
that are necessary for software to run (e.g. ``JAVA_HOME``). Because activation runs
only in a local terminal session (as opposed to the permanent PATH entry), it is
safe to put Anaconda's PATH entries first. That means that Anaconda's libraries
get higher priority when you're running Anaconda but Anaconda doesn't interfere
with other software when you're not running Anaconda.

Anaconda's Python interpreter included a patch for a long time that added the
(install root)/Library/bin folder to that Python's PATH. Unfortunately, this
interfered with reasoning about PATH at all when using that Python interpreter.
We removed that patch in Python 3.7.0, and we regret that this has caused
problems for people who are not activating their environments and who otherwise
do not have the proper entries on PATH. We're experimenting with approaches that
will allow our executables to be less dependent on PATH and more self-aware of
their needed library load paths. For now, though, the only solutions to this
problem are to manage PATH properly.

Our humble opinion is that activation is the easiest way to ensure that things
work. See more information on activation in :ref:`Activating environments
<activate-env>`.

Solution
~~~~~~~~

Use shells opened from Anaconda Navigator. If you use a GUI
IDE and you see this error, ask the developers of your IDE to add activation for
conda environments.

SSL certificate errors
----------------------

Cause
~~~~~

Installing packages may produce a "connection failed" error if you do not have
the certificates for a secure connection to the package repository.

Solution
~~~~~~~~

Pip can use the ``--use-feature=truststore`` option to use the operating system
certificate store. This may be of help in typically corporate environments with
https traffic inspection, where the corporate CA is installed in the operating
system certificate store::

    pip install --use-feature=truststore

Conda has a similar option::

    conda config --set ssl_verify truststore


Alternatively, pip can use the ``--trusted-host`` option to indicate that the URL of the
repository is trusted::

    pip install --trusted-host pypi.org

Conda has three similar options.

#. The option ``--insecure`` or ``-k`` ignores certificate validation errors for all hosts.

   Running ``conda create --help`` shows::

       Networking Options:
         -k, --insecure        Allow conda to perform "insecure" SSL connections and
                               transfers. Equivalent to setting 'ssl_verify' to
                               'False'.

#. The configuration option ``ssl_verify`` can be set to ``False``.

   Running ``conda config --describe ssl_verify`` shows::

       # # ssl_verify (bool, str)
       # #   aliases: verify_ssl
       # #   conda verifies SSL certificates for HTTPS requests, just like a web
       # #   browser. By default, SSL verification is enabled and conda operations
       # #   will fail if a required URL's certificate cannot be verified. Setting
       # #   ssl_verify to False disables certification verification. The value for
       # #   ssl_verify can also be (1) a path to a CA bundle file, (2) a path to a
       # #   directory containing certificates of trusted CA, or (3) 'truststore'
       # #   to use the operating system certificate store.
       # #
       # ssl_verify: true

   Running ``conda config --set ssl_verify false`` modifies ``~/.condarc`` and
   sets the ``-k`` flag for all future conda operations performed by that user.
   Running ``conda config --help`` shows other configuration scope options.

   When using ``conda config``, the user's conda configuration file at
   ``~/.condarc`` is used by default. The flag ``--system`` will instead write
   to the system configuration file for all users at
   ``<CONDA_BASE_ENV>/.condarc``. The flag ``--env`` will instead write to the
   active conda environment's configuration file at
   ``<PATH_TO_ACTIVE_CONDA_ENV>/.condarc``. If ``--env`` is used and no
   environment is active, the user configuration file is used.

#. The configuration option ``ssl_verify`` can be used to install new certificates.

   Running ``conda config --describe ssl_verify`` shows::

       # # ssl_verify (bool, str)
       # #   aliases: verify_ssl
       # #   conda verifies SSL certificates for HTTPS requests, just like a web
       # #   browser. By default, SSL verification is enabled, and conda operations
       # #   will fail if a required URL's certificate cannot be verified. Setting
       # #   ssl_verify to False disables certification verification. The value for
       # #   ssl_verify can also be (1) a path to a CA bundle file, (2) a path to a
       # #   directory containing certificates of trusted CA, or (3) 'truststore'
       # #   to use the operating system certificate store.
       # #
       # ssl_verify: true

   Your network administrator can give you a certificate bundle for your
   network's firewall. Then ``ssl_verify`` can be set to the path of that
   certificate authority (CA) bundle and package installation operations will
   complete without connection errors.

   When using ``conda config``, the user's conda configuration file at
   ``~/.condarc`` is used by default. The flag ``--system`` will instead write
   to the system configuration file for all users at
   ``<CONDA_BASE_ENV>/.condarc``. The flag ``--env`` will instead write to the
   active conda environment's configuration file at
   ``<PATH_TO_ACTIVE_CONDA_ENV>/.condarc``. If ``--env`` is used and no
   environment is active, the user configuration file is used.

SSL verification errors
-----------------------

Cause
~~~~~

This error may be caused by lack of activation on Windows or expired
certifications::

    SSL verification error: [SSL: CERTIFICATE_VERIFY_FAILED] certificate verify failed (_ssl.c:590)

Solution
~~~~~~~~
Make sure your conda is up-to-date: ``conda --version``

If not, run: ``conda update conda``

Try using the operating system certificate store. Set you ``ssl_verify`` variable to ``truststore``
using the following command::

    conda config --set ssl_verify truststore

If using the operating system certificate store does not solve your issue, temporarily
set your ``ssl_verify`` variable to false, upgrade the requests package, and then
set ``ssl_verify`` back to ``true`` using the following commands::

    conda config --set ssl_verify false
    conda update requests
    conda config --set ssl_verify true

You can also set ``ssl_verify`` to a string path to a certificate, which can be used to verify
SSL connections. Modify your ``.condarc`` and include the following::

    ssl_verify: path-to-cert/chain/filename.ext

If the repository uses a self-signed certificate, use the actual path to the certificate.
If the repository is signed by a private certificate authority (CA), the file needs to include
the root certificate and any intermediate certificates.


.. _permission-denied:

Permission denied errors during installation
============================================

Cause
-----

The ``umask`` command  determines the mask settings that control
how file permissions are set for newly created files. If you
have a very restrictive ``umask``, such as ``077``, you get
"permission denied" errors.

Solution
--------

Set a less restrictive ``umask`` before calling conda commands.
Conda was intended as a user space tool, but often users need to
use it in a global environment. One place this can go awry is
with restrictive file permissions. Conda creates links when you
install files that have to be read by others on the system.

To give yourself full permissions for files and directories but
prevent the group and other users from having access:

#. Before installing, set the ``umask`` to ``007``.

#. Install conda.

#. Return the ``umask`` to the original setting:

   .. code-block::

      umask 007
      conda install
      umask 077


For more information on ``umask``, see
`http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umask <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umask>`_.

.. _permission-denied-sudo:

Permission denied errors after using sudo conda command
=======================================================

Solution
--------

Once you run conda with sudo, you must use sudo forever. We recommend that you NEVER run conda with sudo.


.. _fix-broken-conda:

Already installed error message
===============================

Cause
-----

If you are trying to fix conda problems without removing the
current installation and you try to reinstall Miniconda or
Anaconda to fix it, you get an error message that Miniconda
or Anaconda is already installed and you cannot continue.

Solution
--------

Install using the ``--force`` option.


Download and install the appropriate Miniconda
for your operating system from the `Miniconda download page
<https://docs.anaconda.com/miniconda/>`__ using the force option
``--force`` or ``-f``:

.. code-block::

    bash Miniconda3-latest-MacOSX-x86_64.sh -f

.. note::
   Substitute the appropriate filename and version for your
   operating system.

.. note::
   Be sure that you install to the same location as
   your existing install so it overwrites the core conda files and
   does not install a duplicate in a new folder.


.. _conda-claims-installed:

Conda reports that a package is installed, but it appears not to be
===================================================================

Sometimes conda claims that a package is already installed but
it does not appear to be, for example, a Python package that
gives ImportError.

There are several possible causes for this problem, each with its
own solution.

Cause
-----

You are not in the same conda environment as your package.

Solution
--------

#. Make sure that you are in the same conda environment as your
   package. The ``conda info`` command tells you what environment
   is currently active under ``default environment``.

#. Verify that you are using the Python from the correct
   environment by running:

   .. code:: python

      import sys

      print(sys.prefix)


Cause
-----
For Python packages, you have set the ``PYTHONPATH`` or ``PYTHONHOME``
variable. These environment variables cause Python to load files
from locations other than the standard ones. Conda works best
when these environment variables are not set, as their typical
use cases are obviated by conda environments and a common issue
is that they cause Python to pick up the wrong or broken
versions of a library.


Solution
--------

For Python packages, make sure you have not set the ``PYTHONPATH``
or ``PYTHONHOME`` variables. The command ``conda info -a`` displays
the values of these environment variables.

* To unset these environment variables temporarily for the
  current terminal session, run ``unset PYTHONPATH``.

* To unset them permanently, check for lines in the files:

  * If you use bash---``~/.bashrc``, ``~/.bash_profile``,
    ``~/.profile``.

  * If you use zsh---``~/.zshrc``.

  * If you use PowerShell on Windows, the file output by
    ``$PROFILE``.


Cause
-----

You have site-specific directories or, for Python, you have
so-called site-specific files. These are typically located in
``~/.local`` on macOS and Linux. For a full description of the locations of
site-specific packages, see `PEP 370
<http://legacy.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0370/>`_. As with
``PYTHONPATH``, Python may try importing packages from this
directory, which can cause issues.

Solution
--------

For Python packages, remove site-specific directories and
site-specific files.

Cause
-----

For C libraries, the following environment variables have been
set:

* macOS---``DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH``.
* Linux---``LD_LIBRARY_PATH``.

These act similarly to ``PYTHONPATH`` for Python. If they are
set, they can cause libraries to be loaded from locations other
than the conda environment. Conda environments obviate most use
cases for these variables. The command ``conda info -a`` shows
what these are set to.

Solution
--------

Unset ``DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH`` or ``LD_LIBRARY_PATH``.


Cause
-----

Occasionally, an installed package becomes corrupted. Conda works
by unpacking the packages in the ``pkgs`` directory and then
hard-linking them to the environment. Sometimes these get
corrupted, breaking all environments that use them. They
also break any additional environments since the same files are hard-linked
each time.


Solution
--------

Run the command ``conda install -f`` to unarchive the package
again and relink it. It also does an MD5 verification on the
package. Usually if this is different it is because your
channels have changed and there is a different package with the
same name, version, and build number.

.. note::
   This breaks the links to any other environments that
   already had this package installed, so you have to reinstall it
   there, too. It also means that running ``conda install -f`` a lot
   can use up significant disk space if you have many environments.

.. note::
   The ``-f`` flag to ``conda install`` (``--force``) implies
   ``--no-deps``, so ``conda install -f package`` does not reinstall
   any of the dependencies of ``package``.


.. _DistributionNotFound:

pkg_resources.DistributionNotFound: conda==3.6.1-6-gb31b0d4-dirty
=================================================================

Cause
-----

The local version of conda needs updating.

Solution
--------

Force reinstall conda. A useful way to work off the development
version of conda is to run ``python setup.py develop`` on a
checkout of the `conda GitHub repository
<https://github.com/conda/conda>`_. However, if you are not
regularly running ``git pull``, it is a good idea to un-develop,
as you will otherwise not get any regular updates to conda. The
normal way to do this is to run ``python setup.py develop -u``.

However, this command does not replace the ``conda`` script
itself. With other packages, this is not an issue, as you can
just reinstall them with ``conda``, but conda cannot be used if
conda is installed.

The fix is to use the ``./bin/conda`` executable in the conda
git repository to force reinstall conda. That is, run
``./bin/conda install -f conda``. You can then verify with
``conda info`` that you have the latest version of conda, and not
a git checkout. The version should not include any hashes.


.. _unknown-locale:

macOS error "ValueError unknown locale: UTF-8"
==============================================

Cause
-----

This is a bug in the macOS Terminal app that shows up only in
certain locales. Locales are country-language combinations.


Solution
--------

#. Open Terminal in ``/Applications/Utilities``

#. Clear the Set locale environment variables on startup checkbox.

   .. figure:: /img/conda_locale.jpg

      ..

   |

This sets your ``LANG`` environment variable to be empty. This may
cause Terminal to use incorrect settings for your locale. The
``locale`` command in Terminal tells you what settings are used.

To use the correct language, add a line to your bash profile,
which is typically ``~/.profile``:

.. code-block::

   export LANG=your-lang

.. note::
   Replace ``your-lang`` with the correct locale specifier for
   your language.

The command ``locale -a`` displays all the specifiers. For
example, the language code for US English is ``en_US.UTF-8``. The
locale affects what translations are used when they are available
and also how dates, currencies, and decimals are formatted.


.. _AttributeError-getproxies:

AttributeError or missing getproxies
====================================

When running a command such as ``conda update ipython``, you may
get an ``AttributeError: 'module' object has no attribute
'getproxies'``.

Cause
-----

This can be caused by an old version of ``requests`` or by having
the ``PYTHONPATH`` environment variable set.

Solution
--------

Update ``requests`` and be sure ``PYTHONPATH`` is not set:

#. Run ``conda info -a`` to show the ``requests`` version and
   various environment variables such as ``PYTHONPATH``.

#. Update the ``requests`` version with
   ``pip install -U requests``.

#. Clear ``PYTHONPATH``:

   * On Windows, clear it the environment variable settings.

   * On macOS and Linux, clear it by removing it from the bash
     profile and restarting the shell.


.. _shell-command-location:

Shell commands open from the wrong location
===========================================

When you run a command within a conda environment, conda does not
access the correct package executable.

Cause
-----

In both bash and zsh, when you enter a command, the shell
searches the paths in PATH one by one until it finds the command.
The shell then caches the location, which is called hashing in
shell terminology. When you run command again, the shell does not
have to search the PATH again.

The problem is that before you installed the program, you ran a command which
loaded and hashed another version of that program in some other location on
the PATH, such as ``/usr/bin``. Then you installed the program
using ``conda install``, but the shell still had the old instance
hashed.


Solution
--------

Reactivate the environment or run ``hash -r`` (in bash) or
``rehash`` (in zsh).

When you run ``conda activate``, conda automatically runs
``hash -r`` in bash and ``rehash`` in zsh to clear the hashed
commands, so conda finds things in the new path on the PATH. But
there is no way to do this when ``conda install`` is run because
the command must be run inside the shell itself, meaning either
you have to run the command yourself or used a source file that
contains the command.

This is a relatively rare problem, since this happens only in the
following circumstances:

#. You activate an environment or use the root environment, and
   then run a command from somewhere else.

#. Then you ``conda install`` a program, and then try to run the
   program again without running ``activate`` or
   ``deactivate``.

The command ``type command_name`` always tells you exactly what
is being run. This is better than ``which command_name``, which
ignores hashed commands and searches the PATH directly.
The hash is reset by ``conda activate`` or by ``hash -r`` in bash or
``rehash`` in zsh.


.. _wrong-python:

Programs fail due to invoking conda Python instead of system Python
===================================================================

Cause
-----

After installing Anaconda or Miniconda, programs that run
``python`` switch from invoking the system Python to invoking the
Python in the root conda environment. If these programs rely on
the system Python to have certain configurations or dependencies
that are not in the root conda environment Python, the programs
may crash. For example, some users of the Cinnamon desktop
environment on Linux Mint have reported these crashes.


Solution
--------

Edit your ``.bash_profile`` and ``.bashrc`` files so that the
conda binary directory, such as ``~/miniconda3/bin``, is no
longer added to the PATH environment variable. You can still run
``conda activate`` and ``conda deactivate`` by using their full
path names, such as ``~/miniconda3/bin/conda``.

You may also create a folder with symbolic links to ``conda activate``
and ``conda deactivate`` and then edit your
``.bash_profile`` or ``.bashrc`` file to add this folder to your
PATH. If you do this, running ``python`` will invoke the system
Python, but running ``conda`` commands, ``conda activate MyEnv``,
``conda activate root``, or ``conda deactivate`` will work
normally.

After running ``conda activate`` to activate any environment,
including after running ``conda activate root``, running
``python`` will invoke the Python in the active conda environment.


.. _unsatisfiable:

UnsatisfiableSpecifications error
=================================

Cause
-----

Some conda package installation specifications are impossible to
satisfy. For example, ``conda create -n tmp python=3 wxpython=3``
produces an "Unsatisfiable Specifications" error because wxPython
3 depends on Python 2.7, so the specification to install Python 3
conflicts with the specification to install wxPython 3.

When an unsatisfiable request is made to conda, conda shows a
message such as this one::

    The following specifications were found to be in conflict:
    - python 3*
    - wxpython 3* -> python 2.7*
    Use ``conda search <package> --info`` to see the dependencies
    for each package.

This indicates that the specification to install wxpython 3
depends on installing Python 2.7, which conflicts with the
specification to install Python 3.

Solution
--------

Use ``conda search wxpython --info`` or ``conda search 'wxpython=3' --info``
to show information about this package and its dependencies::

    wxpython 3.0 py27_0
    -------------------
    file name   : wxpython-3.0-py27_0.tar.bz2
    name        : wxpython
    version     : 3.0
    build number: 0
    build string: py27_0
    channel     : defaults
    size        : 34.1 MB
    date        : 2014-01-10
    fn          : wxpython-3.0-py27_0.tar.bz2
    license_family: Other
    md5         : adc6285edfd29a28224c410a39d4bdad
    priority    : 2
    schannel    : defaults
    url         : https://repo.continuum.io/pkgs/free/osx-64/wxpython-3.0-py27_0.tar.bz2
    dependencies:
        python 2.7*
        python.app


By examining the dependencies of each package, you should be able
to determine why the installation request produced a conflict and
modify the request so it can be satisfied without conflicts. In
this example, you could install wxPython with Python 2.7::

    conda create -n tmp python=2.7 wxpython=3


.. _version-from-channel:

Package installation fails from a specific channel
==================================================

Cause
-----

Sometimes it is necessary to install a specific version from a
specific channel because that version is not available from the
default channel.


Solution
--------

The following example describes the problem in detail and its
solution.

Suppose you have a specific need to install the Python
``cx_freeze`` module with Python 3.4. A first step is to create a
Python 3.4 environment:

.. code-block::

   conda create -n py34 python=3.4

Using this environment you should first attempt:

.. code-block::

   conda install -n py34 cx_freeze

However, when you do this you get the following error::

   Using Anaconda Cloud api site https://api.anaconda.org
   Fetching package metadata .........
   Solving package specifications: .
   Error: Package missing in current osx-64 channels:
   - cx_freeze

   You can search for packages on anaconda.org with

     anaconda search -t conda cx_freeze

The message indicates that ``cx_freeze`` cannot be found in the
default package channels. However, there may be a
community-created version available and you can search for it by
running the following command:

.. code-block::

   $ anaconda search -t conda cx_freeze
   Using Anaconda Cloud api site https://api.anaconda.org
   Run 'anaconda show <USER/PACKAGE>' to get more details:
   Packages:
        Name                      |  Version | Package Types   | Platforms
        ------------------------- |   ------ | --------------- | ---------------
        inso/cx_freeze            |    4.3.3 | conda           | linux-64
        pyzo/cx_freeze            |    4.3.3 | conda           | linux-64, win-32, win-64, linux-32, osx-64
                                             : http://cx-freeze.sourceforge.net/
        silg2/cx_freeze           |    4.3.4 | conda           | linux-64
                                             : create standalone executables from Python scripts
        takluyver/cx_freeze       |    4.3.3 | conda           | linux-64
   Found 4 packages


In this example, there are 4 different places that you could try
to get the package. None of them are officially supported or
endorsed by Anaconda, but members of the conda community have
provided many valuable packages. If you want to go with public
opinion, then `the web interface
<https://anaconda.org/search?q=cx_freeze>`_ provides more
information:

.. figure:: /img/conda_package-popularity.png
   :alt: cx_freeze packages on anaconda.org

   ..

|

Notice that the ``pyzo`` organization has by far the most
downloads, so you might choose to use their package. If so, you
can add their organization's channel by specifying it on the
command line:

.. code-block::

   $ conda create -c pyzo -n cxfreeze_py34 cx_freeze python=3.4
   Using Anaconda Cloud api site https://api.anaconda.org
   Fetching package metadata: ..........
   Solving package specifications: .........

   Package plan for installation in environment /Users/username/anaconda/envs/cxfreeze_py34:

   The following packages will be downloaded:

       package                    |            build
       ---------------------------|-----------------
       cx_freeze-4.3.3            |           py34_4         1.8 MB
       setuptools-20.7.0          |           py34_0         459 KB
       ------------------------------------------------------------
                                              Total:         2.3 MB

   The following NEW packages will be INSTALLED:

       cx_freeze:  4.3.3-py34_4
       openssl:    1.0.2h-0
       pip:        8.1.1-py34_1
       python:     3.4.4-0
       readline:   6.2-2
       setuptools: 20.7.0-py34_0
       sqlite:     3.9.2-0
       tk:         8.5.18-0
       wheel:      0.29.0-py34_0
       xz:         5.0.5-1
       zlib:       1.2.8-0


Now you have a software environment sandbox created with Python
3.4 and ``cx_freeze``.


.. _auto-upgrade:

Conda automatically upgrades to unwanted version
================================================

When making a Python package for an app, you create an
environment for the app from a file ``req.txt`` that sets a
certain version, such as ``python=2.7.9``. However, when you
``conda install`` your package, it automatically upgrades to a
later version, such as ``2.7.10``.

Cause
-----

If you make a conda package for the app using conda-build, you
can set dependencies with specific version numbers. The
requirements lines that say ``- python`` could be
``- python ==2.7.9`` instead. It is important to have 1 space
before the == operator and no space after.

Solution
--------

Exercise caution when coding version requirements.

.. _upgrade-error:

Conda upgrade error
===================

Cause
-----
Downgrading conda from 4.6.1 to 4.5.x and then trying to ``conda install conda`` or  ``conda upgrade conda`` will produce a solving and upgrade error similar to the following:

.. code-block::

   Solving environment: failed
   CondaUpgradeError: This environment has previously been operated on by a conda version that's newer than the conda currently being used. A newer version of conda is required.
   target environment location: /opt/conda
   current conda version: 4.5.9
   minimum conda version: 4.6

Solution
--------

Change the ``.condarc`` file. Set the parameter by editing the ``.condarc`` file directly:
``allow_conda_downgrades: true`` in conda version 4.5.12. This will then let you upgrade. If you have something older than 4.5.12, install conda 4.6.1 again from the package cache.

EXAMPLE: If my conda info says package cache : /opt/conda/pkgs and my Python version is 3.7, then on the command line, type ``conda install /opt/conda/pkgs/conda-4.6.1-py37_0.tar.bz2`` to resolve the issue.



ValidationError: Invalid value for timestamp
============================================

Cause
-----

This happens when certain packages are installed with conda 4.3.28, and then
conda is downgraded to 4.3.27 or earlier.

Solution
--------

See https://github.com/conda/conda/issues/6096.



Unicode error after installing Python 2
=======================================

Example: UnicodeDecodeError: 'ascii' codec can't decode byte 0xd3 in position 1: ordinal not in range(128)

Cause
-----

Python 2 is incapable of handling unicode properly, especially on Windows. In this case, if any character in your PATH env. var contains anything that is not ASCII then you see this exception.

Solution
--------

Remove all non-ASCII from PATH or switch to Python 3.


Windows environment has not been activated
==========================================

Cause
-----
You may receive a warning message if you have not activated your environment:

.. code-block::

   Warning:
   This Python interpreter is in a conda environment, but the environment has
   not been activated. Libraries may fail to load. To activate this environment
   please see https://conda.io/activation

Solution
--------

If you receive this warning, you need to activate your environment.
To do so on Windows, on a terminal via PowerShell or the Command Prompt, run:
``call <your anaconda/miniconda install location>\Scripts\activate base``.

.. _path-error:

The system cannot find the path specified on Windows
====================================================

Cause
-----
PATH does not contain entries for all of the necessary conda directories.
PATH may have too many entries from 3rd party software adding itself to
PATH at install time, despite the user not needing to run the software via PATH lookup.

Solution
--------

Strip PATH to have fewer entries and activate your environment.

If there's some software that needs to be found on PATH (you run it via
the CLI), we recommend that you create your own batch files to set PATH
dynamically within a console session, rather than permanently modifying
PATH in the system settings.

For example, a new conda prompt batch file that first strips PATH, then
calls the correct activation procedure could look like:

.. code-block:: console

   set
   PATH=”%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem;%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;<3rd-party-entries>”
   call “<miniconda/anaconda root>\Scripts\activate”

If you need to run 3rd party software (software other than Windows
built-ins and Anaconda) from this custom conda prompt, then you should add
those entries (and only those strictly necessary) to the set PATH entry
above. Note that only the quotes wrapping the entire expression should be
there. That is how variables are properly set in batch scripts, and these
account for any spaces in any entries in PATH. No additional quotes should
be within the value assigned to PATH.

To make 3rd party software take precedence over the same-named programs
as supplied by conda, add it to PATH after activating conda:

.. code-block:: console

   set
   “PATH=%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem;%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\”
   call “<miniconda/anaconda root>\Scripts\activate”
   set “PATH=<3rd-party-entries>;%PATH%”


To make conda software take precedence, call the activation script last.
Because activation prepends the conda environment PATH entries,
they have priority.

.. code-block:: console

   set
   PATH=”%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem;%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;<3rd-party-entries>”
   call “<miniconda/anaconda root>\Scripts\activate”
