Pixi shell auto-activation failing in PowerShell

[MatejVitek]

Type: Bug

Behaviour

When opening a new terminal in a workspace with pixi as its default interpreter, the VS Code extension tries to run the command:

PS C:\Users\matej\Documents\Programs\Python\EyeZ> "C:\Program Files\pixi\bin\pixi.EXE" shell --manifest-path C:\Users\matej\Documents\Programs\Python\EyeZ\pixi.toml

which fails since it doesn't contain PowerShell's & call operator.

The auto-activation worked fine when I worked with conda/mamba, but started failing once I switched to pixi.

Steps to reproduce:

1. Install pixi.
2. Open a project with a pixi default interpreter.
3. (optional since it may be done automatically by VS Code) go to Terminal -> New Terminal
4. The VS Code extension tries to run the above command and fails with the error:

ParserError: 
Line |
   1 |  "C:\Program Files\pixi\bin\pixi.EXE" shell --manifest-path C:\Users\m …
     |                                       ~~~~~
     | Unexpected token 'shell' in expression or statement.

Diagnostic data

Output for Python in the Output panel (View→Output, change the drop-down the upper-right of the Output panel to Python)

2025-06-20 12:42:01.037 [info] Telemetry level is off
2025-06-20 12:42:01.037 [info] Experiments are disabled, only manually opted experiments are active.
2025-06-20 12:42:01.037 [warning] Dir "d:\EyeZ\Segmentation\Sclera\Results\2025 SSBC\.pixi\envs" is not watchable (directory does not exist)
2025-06-20 12:42:01.037 [warning] Dir "c:\Users\matej\Documents\Programs\Python\My Libraries\.pixi\envs" is not watchable (directory does not exist)
2025-06-20 12:42:01.037 [info] Python interpreter path: .\.pixi\envs\default\python.exe
2025-06-20 12:42:03.634 [info] > pyenv which python
2025-06-20 12:42:03.635 [info] cwd: ~\Documents\Programs\Python\EyeZ
2025-06-20 12:42:03.841 [info] > conda info --json
2025-06-20 12:42:06.310 [info] > ~\.condarc\Scripts\conda.exe info --json
2025-06-20 12:42:08.041 [info] Starting Pylance language server.
2025-06-20 12:42:31.819 [info] Send text to terminal: "C:\Program Files\pixi\bin\pixi.EXE" shell --manifest-path C:\Users\matej\Documents\Programs\Python\EyeZ\pixi.toml

Extension version: 2025.8.0
VS Code version: Code 1.101.1 (18e3a1ec544e6907be1e944a94c496e302073435, 2025-06-18T13:35:12.605Z)
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26100
Modes:

• Python version (& distribution if applicable, e.g. Anaconda): 3.13.3
• Type of virtual environment used (e.g. conda, venv, virtualenv, etc.): Pixi
• Value of the python.languageServer setting: Pylance

User Settings

Multiroot scenario, following user settings may not apply:

languageServer: "Pylance"

testing
• pytestArgs: "<placeholder>"
• pytestEnabled: true

Installed Extensions

Extension Name	Extension Id	Version
austin-vscode	p40	0.17.3
autodocstring	njp	0.6.1
cmake	twx	0.0.17
cmake-tools	ms-	1.20.53
command-variable	rio	1.67.0
copilot	Git	1.336.0
copilot-chat	Git	0.28.1
cpptools	ms-	1.25.3
cpptools-extension-pack	ms-	1.3.1
cpptools-themes	ms-	2.0.0
debugpy	ms-	2025.8.0
docker	doc	0.10.0
gc-excelviewer	Gra	4.2.63
intellicode-api-usage-examples	Vis	0.2.9
isort	ms-	2025.0.0
java	red	1.42.0
js-debug	ms-	1.100.1
js-debug-companion	ms-	1.1.3
jupyter	ms-	2025.5.0
jupyter-keymap	ms-	1.1.2
jupyter-renderers	ms-	1.1.0
pdf	tom	1.2.2
powershell	ms-	2025.0.0
python	ms-	2025.8.0
rainbow-csv	mec	3.19.0
remote-containers	ms-	0.417.0
remote-explorer	ms-	0.5.0
remote-server	ms-	1.5.2
remote-ssh	ms-	0.120.0
remote-ssh-edit	ms-	0.87.0
remote-wsl	ms-	0.99.0
todo-tree	Gru	0.0.226
vscode-containers	ms-	2.0.3
vscode-docker	ms-	2.0.0
vscode-edit-csv	jan	0.11.4
vscode-gradle	vsc	3.16.4
vscode-java-debug	vsc	0.58.2
vscode-java-dependency	vsc	0.24.1
vscode-java-pack	vsc	0.29.2
vscode-java-test	vsc	0.43.1
vscode-js-profile-table	ms-	1.0.10
vscode-jupyter-cell-tags	ms-	0.1.9
vscode-jupyter-slideshow	ms-	0.1.6
vscode-maven	vsc	0.44.0
vscode-pylance	ms-	2025.6.1
vscode-remote-extensionpack	ms-	0.26.0
vscode-taskexplorer	spm	2.13.2
vscodeintellicode	Vis	1.3.2

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	AMD Ryzen 7 2700X Eight-Core Processor (16 x 3700)
GPU Status	2d_canvas: enabled 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 webnn: disabled_off
Load (avg)	undefined
Memory (System)	31.95GB (12.18GB free)
Process Argv
Screen Reader	no
VM	0%

[anthonykim1]

Hello @MatejVitek Are you using the Python environment extension? https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-python.vscode-python-envs

[MatejVitek]

I'm not. The only Python extensions I have are Pylance, Python, and Python Debugger. Here's the full list of the extensions I use:

PS C:\Users\matej\Documents\Programs\Python\EyeZ> code --list-extensions
The system cannot find the path specified.
docker.docker
github.copilot
github.copilot-chat
grapecity.gc-excelviewer
gruntfuggly.todo-tree
janisdd.vscode-edit-csv
mechatroner.rainbow-csv
ms-azuretools.vscode-containers
ms-azuretools.vscode-docker
ms-python.debugpy
ms-python.isort
ms-python.python
ms-python.vscode-pylance
ms-toolsai.jupyter
ms-toolsai.jupyter-keymap
ms-toolsai.jupyter-renderers
ms-toolsai.vscode-jupyter-cell-tags
ms-toolsai.vscode-jupyter-slideshow
ms-vscode-remote.remote-containers
ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh
ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh-edit
ms-vscode-remote.remote-wsl
ms-vscode-remote.vscode-remote-extensionpack
ms-vscode.cmake-tools
ms-vscode.cpptools
ms-vscode.cpptools-extension-pack
ms-vscode.cpptools-themes
ms-vscode.powershell
ms-vscode.remote-explorer
ms-vscode.remote-server
njpwerner.autodocstring
p403n1x87.austin-vscode
redhat.java
rioj7.command-variable
spmeesseman.vscode-taskexplorer
tomoki1207.pdf
twxs.cmake
visualstudioexptteam.intellicode-api-usage-examples
visualstudioexptteam.vscodeintellicode
vscjava.vscode-gradle
vscjava.vscode-java-debug
vscjava.vscode-java-dependency
vscjava.vscode-java-pack
vscjava.vscode-java-test
vscjava.vscode-maven

[github-actions]

Hey @anthonykim1, this issue might need further attention.

@MatejVitek, you can help us out by closing this issue if the problem no longer exists, or adding more information.

[github-actions]

Because we have not heard back with the information we requested, we are closing this issue for now. If you are able to provide the info later on, then we will be happy to re-open this issue to pick up where we left off.

Happy Coding!