# Ansible in virtualenv mixing python with os **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Tags:** azure\ **Created:** [September 20, 2019, 10:35am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ansible-in-virtualenv-mixing-python-with-os/31323 "2019-09-20T10:35:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr\_Decisive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Mr\_Decisive](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Mr_Decisive)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 10:35am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ansible-in-virtualenv-mixing-python-with-os/31323/1 "2019-09-20T10:35:34Z")
Hi, I have this error when running a playbook to connect to azure to update virtual machines. “Failed to import the required Python library (packaging) on Python /usr/bin/python. Please read module documentation and install in the appropriate location” I can see it is using /usr/bin/python but I’m running ansible in a virtualenv with python3 and the python path is /home//py3/bin/python. I know the packaging library is installed in the virtualenv. So my question is: Why is ansible trying to use the os python and how do I make it use the virtualenv version? Cheers Phill ---
**Author:** ![racke](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/racke/32/4767_2.png) [@racke](https://forum.ansible.com/u/racke)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 11:43am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ansible-in-virtualenv-mixing-python-with-os/31323/2 "2019-09-20T11:43:37Z")
> Hi, > > I have this error when running a playbook to connect to azure to update virtual machines. > > "Failed to import the required Python library (packaging) on \ Python /usr/bin/python. Please read module > documentation and install in the appropriate location" > > I can see it is using /usr/bin/python but I'm running ansible in a virtualenv with python3 and the python path is > /home/\/py3/bin/python. I know the packaging library is installed in the virtualenv. > > So my question is: Why is ansible trying to use the os python and how do I make it use the virtualenv version? > > Cheers > Phill Hello Phill, it makes total sense to use the Python interpreter installed by the OS by default. If you want to use a different interpreter on the target, you can set it via the ansible\_python\_interpreter variable (playbook, commandline, host, ...). Something like that should do the trick: - hosts: azure   vars:     ansible\_python\_interpreter: /home/\/py3/bin/python   roles:     - vm-updates Regards          Racke ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Decisive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Mr\_Decisive](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Mr_Decisive)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 2:28pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ansible-in-virtualenv-mixing-python-with-os/31323/3 "2019-09-20T14:28:08Z")
Hi Stefan, Thanks for the info. I’d tried putting ansible\_python\_interpreter: /home//py3/bin/python in the ansible.cfg file in /etc/ansible/ but whilst it read the file as I could tell from the -vvv switch I was still seeing parts of the run falling back to /usr/bin/python?? Anyway I subsequently (prior to you replying) installed the missing packages in the system os python version (cheating I know bu I wanted to make sure it really was a problem with the path and this was the easiest way to test it). It worked. but this didn’t fix the original problem. Sooooo I saw your response and put the variable definition in the playbook and this worked. I could see via the -vvv switch that all the python paths were correct. Thanks for your help. Cheers Phill ---
**Author:** ![racke](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/racke/32/4767_2.png) [@racke](https://forum.ansible.com/u/racke)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 2:45pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ansible-in-virtualenv-mixing-python-with-os/31323/4 "2019-09-20T14:45:31Z")
> Hi Stefan, > > Thanks for the info. > > I'd tried putting > > ansible\_python\_interpreter: /home/\/py3/bin/python > > in the ansible.cfg file in /etc/ansible/ but whilst it read the file as I could tell from the -vvv switch I was still > seeing parts of the run falling back to /usr/bin/python?? > > Anyway I subsequently (prior to you replying) installed the missing packages in the system os python version (cheating I > know bu I wanted to make sure it really was a problem with the path and this was the easiest way to test it). It worked. > but this didn't fix the original problem. Sooooo I saw your response and put the variable definition in the playbook and > this worked. I could see via the -vvv switch that all the python paths were correct. > > Thanks for your help. You are welcome. According to the docs the correct name for ansible.cfg is "python\_interpreter" in the [defaults] section ([https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/reference\_appendices/interpreter\_discovery.html](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/reference_appendices/interpreter_discovery.html)). Regards          Racke ---
**Author:** ![racke](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/racke/32/4767_2.png) [@racke](https://forum.ansible.com/u/racke)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 2:50pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ansible-in-virtualenv-mixing-python-with-os/31323/5 "2019-09-20T14:50:24Z")
> > Hi Stefan, > > > > Thanks for the info. > > > > I'd tried putting > > > > ansible\_python\_interpreter: /home/\/py3/bin/python > > > > in the ansible.cfg file in /etc/ansible/ but whilst it read the file as I could tell from the -vvv switch I was still > > seeing parts of the run falling back to /usr/bin/python?? > > > > Anyway I subsequently (prior to you replying) installed the missing packages in the system os python version (cheating I > > know bu I wanted to make sure it really was a problem with the path and this was the easiest way to test it). It worked. > > but this didn't fix the original problem. Sooooo I saw your response and put the variable definition in the playbook and > > this worked. I could see via the -vvv switch that all the python paths were correct. > > > > Thanks for your help. > > You are welcome. According to the docs the correct name for ansible.cfg is "python\_interpreter" in the [defaults] > section ([https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/reference\_appendices/interpreter\_discovery.html](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/reference_appendices/interpreter_discovery.html)). > > Regards >          Racke Sorry, looks I wrote to soon. This only allows to set the mode of discovery despite the variable name :-(. Regards          Racke ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Decisive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Mr\_Decisive](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Mr_Decisive)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 3:19pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ansible-in-virtualenv-mixing-python-with-os/31323/6 "2019-09-20T15:19:41Z")
Hi Stefan, Actually after trying your fix I went back to figure out why the config file was not working and it was then I discovered the environment name and the config ini name is different!!! Anyway I set the variable in the config file (using the correct name) and disabled it in the playbook and it still worked and I could see with the -vvv it was using the correct paths. I’ve been going round and round with this all day (on and off) so i’m pleased it is working now and I understand why. Thanks again Phill