Add pyqgis venv windows post

content/posts/2024-11-25_pyqgis_environnement_dev_windows.md

@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+---
+authors:
+  - nicogodet
+categories:
+  - Posts
+comments: true
+date: 2024-11-25
+description: "For Intellisense happiness"
+icon: material/microsoft-visual-studio-code
+license: beerware
+pin: false
+tags:
+    - Plugin QGIS
+    - PyQGIS
+    - Python
+    - VS Code
+    - Windows
+title: "Creating a Python Virtual Environment for QGIS Plugin Development with VS Code on Windows"
+subtitle: Keep our env safe, for our PyQGIS children
+---
+
+# Creating a Python Virtual Environment for QGIS Plugin Development with VS Code on Windows
+
+## Introduction
+
+![PyQGIS logo](https://cdn.geotribu.fr/img/logos-icones/programmation/pyqgis.png){: .img-thumbnail-left }
+
+Anyone who has tried it knows that configuring a Python, PyQGIS, and PyQt environment on Windows for developing QGIS plugins is a real challenge. Often, it feels like a losing battle...
+
+Well, not anymore! After scouring the depths of the internet and exploring tips provided by [Julien](https://geotribu.fr/team/julien-moura/), here is one method to have (almost) all the auto-completions for PyQGIS, PyQt, and more in VS Code.
+
+<!-- more -->
+
+[Leave a comment :fontawesome-solid-comments:](#__comments "Go to comments"){: .md-button }
+{: align=middle }
+
+----
+
+## Creating the Virtual Environment
+
+I will assume that you have installed QGIS in the `C:\OSGeo4W` directory (the procedure is the same whether QGIS is installed via the OSGeo4W network installer or the MSI package; the paths in this article just need to be adapted to your installation).
+
+1. Open an OSGeo4W Shell and navigate to the location where you want to create the virtual environment.  
+   For example, a freshly created plugin template using the [QGIS Plugin Templater](https://gitlab.com/Oslandia/qgis/template-qgis-plugin).
+
+1. Run the following commands:
+
+    ```cmd title="Creating a virtual environment in the OSGeo4W Shell"
+    C:\OSGeo4W\bin\python-qgis.bat -m venv --system-site-packages .venv
+    C:\OSGeo4W\bin\python-qgis.bat -c "import pathlib;import qgis;print(str((pathlib.Path(qgis.__file__)/'../..').resolve()))" > .venv\qgis.pth
+    ```
+
+    The `--system-site-packages` option allows the virtual environment to inherit libraries specific to the Python environment in QGIS.
+
+1. To ensure VSCode recognizes `processing` imports, add the following line to the `.venv\qgis.pth` file:  
+    `C:\OSGeo4W\apps\qgis\python\plugins`
+
+    Your file should look like this:
+
+    ```text title="Contents of .venv\qgis.pth file"
+    C:\OSGeo4W\apps\qgis\python
+    C:\OSGeo4W\apps\qgis\python\plugins
+    ```
+
+    Make sure the encoding of the `.venv\qgis.pth` file is set to UTF-8.
+
+1. Create a `sitecustomize.py` file in the `.venv\Lib\site-packages` folder with the following content:
+
+    ```python title=".venv\Lib\site-packages\sitecustomize.py"
+    import os
+
+    os.add_dll_directory("C:/OSGeo4W/bin")
+    os.add_dll_directory("C:/OSGeo4W/apps/qgis/bin")
+    os.add_dll_directory("C:/OSGeo4W/apps/Qt5/bin")
+    ```
+
+1. In the `.venv\pyvenv.cfg` file, modify the occurrences of `C:\OSGeo4W\bin` to `C:\OSGeo4W\apps\Python312`:
+
+    ```ini title=".venv\pyenv.cfg"
+    home = C:\OSGeo4W\apps\Python312
+    include-system-site-packages = true
+    version = 3.12.6
+    executable = C:\OSGeo4W\apps\Python312\python.exe
+    command = C:\OSGeo4W\apps\Python312\python.exe -m venv --system-site-packages <The full path to your venv>
+    ```
+
+----
+
+## In VS Code
+
+If you open VS Code in the folder where you just created the virtual environment, VS Code will automatically detect the environment (otherwise, install the [VS Code Python extension](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-python.python)), and as you type code, VS Code will suggest PyQGIS objects or methods.
+
+![Import completion](https://cdn.geotribu.fr/img/articles-blog-rdp/articles/2024/pyqgis_environnement_dev_windows/vscode_intellisense_completion_imports.webp){: .img-center loading=lazy }
+
+![Method completion](https://cdn.geotribu.fr/img/articles-blog-rdp/articles/2024/pyqgis_environnement_dev_windows/vscode_intellisense_completion_methodes.webp){: .img-center loading=lazy }
+
+To also have all the completions related to PyQt, it seems necessary to install an additional Python library called `PyQt5-stubs` (although it is no longer maintained, it still works).  
+In the VS Code terminal, run the following command:
+
+```powershell title="Install PyQT completion in the virtual environment"
+pip install PyQt5-stubs
+```
+
+![PyQt](https://cdn.geotribu.fr/img/articles-blog-rdp/articles/2024/pyqgis_environnement_dev_windows/vscode_pyqt.webp){: .img-center loading=lazy }
+
+All of this just to have colorful code :smiley:!
+
+![Contribute to GeoPF Altimétrie](https://cdn.geotribu.fr/img/articles-blog-rdp/articles/2024/pyqgis_environnement_dev_windows/vscode_geopf.webp){: .img-center loading=lazy }