Cannot start s3e on Windows 10 x64 with Python 3.9.7 x86

[Anton-V-K]

I'm unable to start s3e on Windows 10 64-bit with Python 3.9.7 32-bit:

C:\Users\Anton>s3e
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python39-32\lib\runpy.py", line 197, in _run_module_as_main
    return _run_code(code, main_globals, None,
  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python39-32\lib\runpy.py", line 87, in _run_code
    exec(code, run_globals)
  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python39-32\Scripts\s3e.exe\__main__.py", line 7, in <module>
  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python39-32\lib\site-packages\s3_extend\s3e.py", line 202, in s3ex
    S3E()
  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python39-32\lib\site-packages\s3_extend\s3e.py", line 49, in __init__
    self.proc_bp = self.start_backplane()
  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python39-32\lib\site-packages\s3_extend\s3e.py", line 151, in start_backplane
    if 'backplane' in proc.info['name']:
TypeError: argument of type 'NoneType' is not iterable

Other servers (namely backplane, espgw, wsgw and monitor) run fine, when started individually.

Here is the test script (rewritten fragment of start_backplane from s3e.py):

import psutil

# check to see if the backplane is already running
try:
    for proc in psutil.process_iter(attrs=['pid', 'name']):
        print(proc.info['pid'], proc.info['name']) # list all found processes
        if 'backplane' in proc.info['name']:
            self.skip_backplane = True
            print(proc) # found!
except (psutil.NoSuchProcess, psutil.AccessDenied, psutil.ZombieProcess):
    pass

Output:

...>python test_s3e.py
0 System Idle Process
4 System
120 Registry
268 None
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "D:\Anton\Devel\Arduino\Telemetrix4Esp8266\test_s3e.py", line 9, in <module>
    if 'backplane' in proc.info['name']:
TypeError: argument of type 'NoneType' is not iterable

Screenshot from Task Manager:

It looks like another bug in psutil - see giampaolo/psutil#1980 where the module can't properly handle long names (due to "bitness mismatch").

I'm not sure whether a process can run without a name, but it may be worth checking the returned string (is it empty?) before trying to search for backplane in it (yeah, it's a kind of hack/workaround).

Another possible workaround it to use same 'bitness' both for Python, and for Windows.

[MrYsLab]

I run s3e in a command window. I've never heard of the composable shell. How does one start the composable shell? I cannot find any documentation about it.

I am not sure if I understand your suggestions. When you say, check the returned string for being empty. Are you referring to this line in your example code?

print(proc) # found!

If that is the line, I don't understand how it can be empty.

When you say the same bitness for both Python and Windows, what are you referring to?

[Anton-V-K]

I have no idea what is the process WindowsInternal.ComposableShell.Experiences.TextInput.InputApp.exe, I haven't started it manually/intentionally - probably a Windows application (I run it on a laptop). Actually it can be any process with very long name.

The value in proc.info['name'] may be None (a kind of "not a value" or "no value").
So the quickfix may be simple (until the official fix is released as the new version of psutil):

if proc.info['name'] is not None and 'backplane' in proc.info['name']:
    self.skip_backplane = True
    # ....

If Python is 64-bit then the issue doesn't happen on Windows 64-bit (I haven't checked this though).

[MrYsLab]

As you point out, this issue is a problem within psutil. I do not want to make any changes in my code that mask a problem in someone else's. In addition, I do not want to have to change my code again if the psutil fix causes some other issue.

One option for you is to fork s3-extend, make the changes you wish in s3e and save them. Then go to the directory above where the forked version of the s3-extend setup.py file is stored, and then enter:

pip install ./s3-extend --upgrade

You will then have a local copy with the fix. When psutil is repaired, you can always reinstall s3-extend from pypi to have the official version.

Since the s3e file is the only file to be affected, and I do not see any reason to change it at this time, I feel this is the lowest risk solution for both of us.

[MrYsLab]

To explain why I am not willing to take on any additional risk in changing the code, here are the download statistics for s3-extend from pepy.

Since I cannot test the changes you are requesting, with 35000 users, if something breaks, I will have many unhappy users.

[MrYsLab]

I searched the web for articles on windowsinternal.composableshell.experiences.textinput.inputapp.exe, and apparently, it has caused users some issues. There are several articles on disabling and removing it, but since this process does not run on any of my computers, I cannot suggest which, if any, is the best.

There are also articles on forcing short names in Windows, but I do not know if this works for process names.

Perhaps you can experiment with these solutions.

I am going to close this issue, but it can be reopened if necessary.

[Anton-V-K]

psutil 5.9.0 was released, so this issue shouldn't happen any longer

[MrYsLab]

I just installed s3-extend using Python 3.9.7 on Windows 10 without any issues. If you are still seeing the same errors you posted above, and still have windowsinternal.composableshell.experiences.textinput.inputapp.exe,
running, then this is something peculiar to your Windows environment. I still have no idea why that application is running on your system and not mine.