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gh-95946: Note launcher's env ability to launch non-python interpreters #95947

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gh-95946: Note launcher's env ability to launch non-python interpreters #95947

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b965a30
Note launcher's env ability to launch non-python
CAD97 Aug 13, 2022
fa21ab6
Fix footnote syntax
CAD97 Aug 13, 2022
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9 changes: 7 additions & 2 deletions Doc/using/windows.rst
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Expand Up @@ -866,13 +866,18 @@ minor version. I.e. ``/usr/bin/python3.7-32`` will request usage of the

The ``/usr/bin/env`` form of shebang line has one further special property.
Before looking for installed Python interpreters, this form will search the
executable :envvar:`PATH` for a Python executable. This corresponds to the
behaviour of the Unix ``env`` program, which performs a :envvar:`PATH` search.
executable :envvar:`PATH` for an executable. This corresponds to the behaviour
of the Unix ``env`` program, which performs a :envvar:`PATH` search. Note that
this can find and run non-Python executables if specified in the shebang line [#]_.
If an executable matching the first argument after the ``env`` command cannot
be found, it will be handled as described below. Additionally, the environment
variable :envvar:`PYLAUNCHER_NO_SEARCH_PATH` may be set (to any value) to skip
this additional search.

.. [#] This can cause surprising effects with `#!/usr/bin/env bash` or other
non-Python interpreters meant to trampoline into Python, as this could select
a WSL `bash`, causing the script to run under WSL instead of running natively.
Comment on lines +878 to +879

@zooba zooba Aug 14, 2022

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I worry that this makes it sound like an appealing feature, not an unintentional side-effect.

Can we warn instead about the command line having to accept the same options as the Python command line? That's the more useful information for someone who's trying to do this on purpose.

(There are also non-WSL "bash.exe"s out there, so I really don't want to start people thinking they can make Windows users run on Linux by putting bash in the shebang...)



Arguments in shebang lines
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