Django Apache error: No module named 'encodings'. Windows server 2008 R2 Standard

Question

I clone repo from git. I create venv:

python -m venv myenv
/myenv/scripts/activate.bat
pip install -r requirements.txt
pip install mod_wsgi-4.6.5+ap24vc14-cp36-cp36m-win_amd64.whl

if i run from myvenv that:

python manage.py runserver

it's work!

if I run from apache, I have a error:

[Wed Oct 30 10:51:18.732028 2019] [mpm_winnt:notice] [pid 352:tid 168] AH00455: Apache/2.4.41 (Win64) mod_wsgi/4.6.5 Python/3.6 configured -- resuming normal operations
[Wed Oct 30 10:51:18.732028 2019] [mpm_winnt:notice] [pid 352:tid 168] AH00456: Apache Lounge VS16 Server built: Aug  9 2019 16:46:32
[Wed Oct 30 10:51:18.732028 2019] [core:notice] [pid 352:tid 168] AH00094: Command line: 'httpd -d C:/Apache24'
[Wed Oct 30 10:51:18.732028 2019] [mpm_winnt:notice] [pid 352:tid 168] AH00418: Parent: Created child process 1748
Fatal Python error: Py_Initialize: unable to load the file system codec
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'encodings'

Current thread 0x00000354 (most recent call first):
[Wed Oct 30 10:51:23.677228 2019] [mpm_winnt:crit] [pid 352:tid 168] AH00419: master_main: create child process failed. Exiting.

below httpd.conf:

LoadFile "c:/<>/python/python36/python36.dll"
LoadModule wsgi_module "c:/envs/myproject/lib/site-packages/mod_wsgi/server/mod_wsgi.cp36-win_amd64.pyd"


WSGIScriptAlias / "c:/<myproject>/wsgi.py"
WSGIPythonHome "c:/envs/myproject"
WSGIPythonPath "c:/<myproject>"


Alias /static/ "c:/<myproject>/static/"
<Directory "c:/<myproject>/static">
    Require all granted
</Directory>

<Directory c:/<myproject>>
<Files wsgi.py>
Require all granted
</Files>
</Directory>
<Directory c:/<myproject>/attachments>
    Require all granted
</Directory>

I set PYTHONHOME and PYTHONPATH as "C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36;C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36\Scripts"

I looked many question, example: Fatal Python error on Windows 10 ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'encodings' but this error only in apache.

Answer 1

Your config file seems to have no issue. I had a similar issue, how I solved it was,

I checked my Apache24 installation, it was 32-bit, while my python install was a 64-bit, so I had to reinstall the Apache24 64 bit version and put the configuration in httpd.conf again.

I also had to install my python in the main C directory instead of instead of inside the \Users so my base python location was C:\Python36 , and include the C:\Python36\ and C:\Python36\Scripts\ inside the path of the system variables then create a new virtualenv and include in the Apache configuration

Answer 2

Fortunately, I have done it.

I used "virtualenvwrapper" for Windows. It's really helpful.

pip install virtualenvwrapper-win
mkvirtualenv myenv
pip install -r requirements.txt
pip install mod_wsgi-4.6.5+ap24vc14-cp36-cp36m-win_amd64.whl

It's work.

Answer 3

The issue is that Apache on Windows, when run as a Service does not pick up the PYTHONHOME environment variable which it needs for the right Python installation to be used.

If it doesn't find it, it gives a very misleading error about the encdongs module not found

    Fatal Python error: initfsencoding: unable to load the file system codec
    ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'encodings'

To get it to work, in a Windows Terminal or CMD, run Apache as a standard executable - not as a Service :

    set PYTHONHOME=<root-of-python-or-conda-env>
    httpd  // In this case, Apache server picks up PYTHONHOME and comes up
    httpd -k start // as a service (need to be admin) - here it DOES NOT pick up PYTHONHOME and fails with the error above

Also note, per the mod_wsgi author, on Windows, Apache seems to ignore the WSGIPythonHome directive, so don't bother going down that rabbit hole.

Answer 4

Ensure you have the PYTHONHOME environment variable