[Bug Report] EIM GUI on macOS ignores python3 from PATH entirely (EIM-1017)

[hwqchi]

System Information

• OS info: OS: Darwin 27.0 | Architecture: arm64 | Kernel: 27.0.0
• App Version: 0.19.0

Description

EIM GUI 0.19.0 on macOS cannot start any ESP-IDF installation, the Python check always fails with:

Python Not Configured
Python >= 3.10 < 3.14 with pip, virtualenv, and SSL support is required.
Install a supported Python version (3.10 to 3.13) from https://www.python.org/downloads/

even though a fully compatible Python 3.13.12 is installed and reachable on PATH.

This is a continuation of #969 (which was closed as not planned with the guidance added in PR #970). I tested the PR #970 workaround ("launch the GUI from your terminal so it inherits your shell PATH") and it does not work on 0.19.0.

• EIM-925: in FAQ we now explain difference between PATH handling in CLI AND GUI #970
• On macOS, eim.app is unable to find MacPorts-installed Python 3.13 (EIM-925) #969

Steps to reproduce

1. Activate shell where which python3 → /Users/<user>/miniconda3/bin/python3 (Python 3.13.12).
2. Launch the GUI from the same terminal so it inherits the shell PATH:
   /Applications/eim.app/Contents/MacOS/eim gui --idf-features ide
3. Watch ~/Library/Application Support/eim/logs/eim_gui.log:

INFO  - GUI logging initialized ...
INFO  - Found python3
WARN  - [FAIL] Python Version: Python 3.9.6 is not supported (required: >=3.10.0, <3.15.0)

Actual Behavior

Logs

2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - INFO - GUI logging initialized. File: "/Users/<user>/Library/Application Support/eim/logs/eim_gui.log", Console: Info
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Triggered `applicationSupportsSecureRestorableState`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Completed `applicationSupportsSecureRestorableState`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Triggered `applicationDidFinishLaunching`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Creating new window
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Triggered `viewDidMoveToWindow`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Completed `viewDidMoveToWindow`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Triggered `validAttributesForMarkedText`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Completed `validAttributesForMarkedText`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Triggered `validAttributesForMarkedText`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Completed `validAttributesForMarkedText`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Triggered `validAttributesForMarkedText`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Completed `validAttributesForMarkedText`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Triggered `validAttributesForMarkedText`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Completed `validAttributesForMarkedText`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Triggered `validAttributesForMarkedText`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Completed `validAttributesForMarkedText`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Locked shared state in `set_fullscreen`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Unlocked shared state in `set_fullscreen`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Triggered `windowDidBecomeKey:`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Completed `windowDidBecomeKey:`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Triggered `windowDidResize:`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Completed `windowDidResize:`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Triggered `validAttributesForMarkedText`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Completed `validAttributesForMarkedText`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Triggered `validAttributesForMarkedText`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Completed `validAttributesForMarkedText`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Triggered `validAttributesForMarkedText`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Completed `validAttributesForMarkedText`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Triggered `validAttributesForMarkedText`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Completed `validAttributesForMarkedText`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Triggered `validAttributesForMarkedText`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Completed `validAttributesForMarkedText`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Triggered `viewDidMoveToWindow`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Completed `viewDidMoveToWindow`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - DEBUG - ESP-IDF JSON initialized at configured path.
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Completed `applicationDidFinishLaunching`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Triggered `applicationShouldHandleReopen`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - Completed `applicationShouldHandleReopen`
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - DEBUG - No versions found. Use eim install to install a new ESP-IDF version.
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - DEBUG - Error: No such file or directory (os error 2)
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - DEBUG - Checking for prerequisites with detailed result...
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - DEBUG - will be checking for : ["dfu-util", "cmake"]
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - DEBUG - dfu-util is already installed: Output { status: ExitStatus(unix_wait_status(0)), stdout: "/opt/homebrew/bin/dfu-util\n", stderr: "" }
2026-09-25 11:48:07 - 11 - 09 - DEBUG - cmake is already installed: Output { status: ExitStatus(unix_wait_status(0)), stdout: "/opt/homebrew/bin/cmake\n", stderr: "" }
2026-09-25 11:48:08 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - shouldn't retry!
2026-09-25 11:48:09 - 11 - 09 - INFO - Set locale to: en
2026-09-25 11:48:09 - 11 - 09 - DEBUG - starting new connection: https://dl.espressif.com/
2026-09-25 11:48:09 - 11 - 09 - TRACE - shouldn't retry!
2026-09-25 11:48:11 - 11 - 09 - INFO - Found python3
2026-09-25 11:48:11 - 11 - 09 - WARN - [FAIL] Python Version: Python 3.9.6 is not supported (required: >=3.10.0, <3.15.0)

Expected behavior

• python3 on the effective GUI PATH should be used for detection, so launching the GUI from a terminal with a compatible python3 (conda/pyenv/MacPorts) passes the check — as the FAQ in EIM-925: in FAQ we now explain difference between PATH handling in CLI AND GUI #970 states;
• launchctl setenv PATH should be honored;
• on macOS, explicitly probe common locations: /usr/local/bin/python3, /opt/homebrew/bin/python3, /opt/local/bin/python3, /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/*/bin/python3, ~/.pyenv/shims, conda envs.

[github-actions]

Created Athena task EIM-1095: [Bug Report] EIM GUI on macOS ignores python3 from PATH entirely — https://athena.espressif.cn:6565/w/d4Jsx3uj

Reference this key in PR titles (e.g. EIM-1095: <description>) to link future PRs to this task.

[hwqchi]

Workaround (not a fix)

1. Install the EIM CLI via Homebrew

brew tap espressif/eim
brew trust espressif/eim
brew install eim

2. the extension now uses the CLI instead of the GUI

The ESP-IDF extension (v2.3.0) resolves the EIM executable (resolveEimPath) by priority:

1. Look for eim on PATH first
2. Check the existing EIM path in eim_idf.json
3. The EIM_PATH environment variable
4. The extension's own managed install locations (eim_gui / eim.app)
   So once brew install eim puts the CLI at /opt/homebrew/bin/eim, the extension hits the CLI binary in step 1.

[alirana01]

@hwqchi please read this https://docs.espressif.com/projects/idf-im-ui/en/latest/faq.html#why-does-eim-find-the-wrong-python-on-macos for eim related concerns for anything related to vscode please report it on the vscode repository

[Hahihula]

hi @hwqchi,
this #1105 should improve your experience in the future. From next release the gui will explicitly look for homebrew python on macos