Revert the `--no-site-packages` option with virtualenv

python, virtualenv

Solution

Try removing (or renaming) the file `no-global-site-packages.txt` in your `Lib` folder under your virtual environment.

Where venv is the name of your virtual environment, and python3.4 corresponds to whichever version of python involved, for example:

$ rm venv/lib/python3.4/no-global-site-packages.txt

And if you change your mind and want to put it back:

$ touch venv/lib/python3.4/no-global-site-packages.txt

Note: If you don't see the above file, then you have a newer version of virtualenv. You'll want to follow this answer instead

Problem

I have created a virtualenv using the `--no-site-packages` option and installed lots of libraries. Now I would like to revert the `--no-site-packages` option and use also the global packages. Can I do that without recreating the virtualenv? More precisely: I wonder what exactly happens when creating a virtualenv using the `--no-site-packages` option as opposed to not using that option. If I know what happens then I can figure out how to undo it.

Original source

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