Vscode - variable expansion in .env file

Question

Running python tests in VSCode. I have a .env file that is loading (I can add new vars, and see the change reflected in a print(... of os.environ .

However, variable expansion within that file is doing something odd. It seems to expand ${workspaceFolder} in some cases (specifically, PYTHONPATH= ) but not others. ??

Here's my .env file. Again, it is loading, as I can see changes if i add vars, or change the contents of the (fully working) PYTHONPATH var:

FOOBAR1=${workspaceFolder}/foobar1.txt
PYTHONPATH=${workspaceFolder}/backend/src:/tmp/foo-2:${env:PYTHONPATH}

however print( 'ing all the os.environ 's shows:

...
        ?
        v
FOOBAR1=/foobar1.txt
PYTHONPATH=/home/-omitted-/backend/src:/tmp/foo-2:
...

${workspaceFolder} is expanded for one var, but not the other?? I've tried re-ordering. Don't see anything here or on google.

Help !? Thank you!

Answer 1

There is no variable expansion in vscode .env files at all. Any ${workspaceFolder} or similar variables are replaced by empty strings.

Note: Variable substitution is only supported in VS Code settings files, it will not work in .env environment files.

https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/python/environments#_environment-variable-definitions-file

Something else is probably prepending the /home/-omitted- to PYTHONPATH .