python debug adapter not being found in vscode - WSL:Ubuntu

Question

I'm trying to debug a python script in vscode using the Remote WSL extension with Python 3.9.1.

When I start debugging mode(F5), the below message is immediately shown:

Couldn't find a debug adapter descriptor for debug type 'python' (extension might have failed to active)

The message offers me to Open launch.json, I still don't know what I have to change in my json file, below are my current settings:

{
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Python: Current File",
            "type": "python",
            "request": "launch",
            "program": "${file}",
            "console": "integratedTerminal",
            "env": {
                "PYTHONPATH": "c:/<my_user_name>/projects",
            },
        }
    ]
}

What I have tried until now:

• Re-installed Python extension and read the doc. However the doc does not help to solve the issue at all. These steps has been already suggest in another post here almost 3 years ago.
• Reload vscode in order to reload the extensions, as the error shows an extensions might have failed to active. No success.

Veranda

Answer 1

If you have VSCode, installed already before you could configure WSL, you could be facing this issue. Here's how I resolved it:

1. To the bottom left corner of VSCode, you may find the environment choice. Natively, this corresponds to windows, you might have to switch this to Remote-WSL: New Window which will open VSCode in a new window.

2. In the debug tab of VSCode, you don't have to edit any configuration, except you need to define the location of your interpreter. In my case, I defined the location to be as my virtual environments' bin/ directory.

Good Luck!

Conduction

Answer 2

In my case the debugging software was asking for an update. The message did appear at the settings icon on the bottom left.

Settings > install updates

Ballman

Answer 3

In my case necessary downloads for the extension was prohibited by the client policy, as visible by viewing extension logs at vscode start-up, and seeing the download failed. Then copying and pasting the URL into a browser.

Jonquil