CODEWITHSUNDEEP
python-3.xpycharm
Jon
Jon

Reputation: 1801

Configuring interpreter in PyCharm: "please use a different SDK name"

I have been using Pycharm for years and have never had any problem. However, after my most recent PyCharm update I can no longer configure the interpreter.

Also each time I create a new project it creates a vent directory under my project. When I go to File/Default Settings/Project Interpreter, I am provided with new options.

In this window it allows you to configure a virtual environment, the conda environment, and the system interpreter. I am assuming that I should configure the system interpreter. From there I point PyCharm to the interpreter on my Mac at /usr/local/Cellar/python3/3.6.3/bin/python3 and hit OK.

It then takes me back to the main window where it shows the path in the project interpreter. At this point I hit apply and get a message:

Cannot Save Settings please use a different SDK name

It doesn't matter which interpreter I choose, I get the same message. Has anyone else come up with the same problem and how do I fix this?

Interestingly my old projects still work correctly.

Upvotes: 32

Views: 25958

Answers (10)

Daniel Mandelblat
Daniel Mandelblat

Reputation: 337

How fix this in Windows 10:

  1. Close Pycharm.

  2. Delete or edit this file: C:\Users\<username>\.PyCharmCE2018.3\config\options\jdk.table.xml

    ...or this one: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\JetBrains\PyCharmCE2023.3\options\jdk.table.xml

  3. Open Pycharm again and load all python interceptors again.

If deleting the file, you may want to save a backup somewhere to make it easier to find your other interpreters.

Upvotes: 17

Iaggo Capitanio
Iaggo Capitanio

Reputation: 138

I solved this issue by cleaning the Pycharm memory cache

enter image description here

Upvotes: 0

Aseem
Aseem

Reputation: 6779

I had same error:

  1. I deleted all invalid project interpreters ( they are red)
  2. then I did https://stackoverflow.com/a/60583928/3842788

Upvotes: 2

widavies
widavies

Reputation: 976

Go to Project > Project Interpreter > Select the dropdown menu > "Show All".

For me, there were several Python environments, two of which were red with an tag. Remove the envs that are red / have an tag, select the remaining valid one, and re-apply settings.

Upvotes: 1

kakyo
kakyo

Reputation: 11600

In my case, I moved my project to a different location and PyCharm started complaining about Cannot Save Settings please use a different SDK name. At the top of the main editor, it asks me to Configure Project Interpreter. I clicked it, and then ...

My solution

  1. Remove all existing interpreters that are marked as invalid in the preference.
  2. Select the interpreter in the moved venv subfolder in my project.

Without doing both, I kept getting the same "SDK name" error. It seemed that the project thinks that it already has an interpreter called "python.exe", if you don't actively remove all "invalid" ones.

Upvotes: 1

NathaneilCapital
NathaneilCapital

Reputation: 1469

This may be a known issue of PyCharm and using the method of the accepted answer may not resolve it. Please see https://youtrack.jetbrains.com/issue/PY-27251.

You can close Pycharm and remove jdk.table.xml file from ~/Library/Preferences/.PyCharm2018.1/options directory (Mac version), then start PyCharm again.

Warning: By doing this, all your existing setup of python interpreters will be erased and you need to re-setup them again.

Upvotes: 4

Pragya Shrivastava
Pragya Shrivastava

Reputation: 11

You cannot have 2 or more virtual environments with same name. Even if you have projects with same name stored at 2 different places, please give unique name to its venv. This will solve your problem.

To check all the virtual environments: Go to File >> Settings >> Project: your_project_name >> Project Interpreter

And rename the venv name.

Upvotes: 1

Cathal Cronin
Cathal Cronin

Reputation: 1435

I ran into this issue when trying to get docker up and running with Pycharm 2018.1 and using the container's Interpreter. I would get the error below.

"Cannot Save Settings please use a different SDK name"

The issue I had was due to having multiple python interpreters of the same name.

Under Pycharm || Preferences || Project Interpreter

Click "show all" within the Project Interpreter dropdown and then delete any / all interpreters that you don't need.

Upvotes: 10

Vedprakash Upraity
Vedprakash Upraity

Reputation: 597

I had the same problem while setting up the virtual environment for my project and no matter if I create a new virtual environment or select an existing one, I get the warning:

"Cannot Save Settings please use a different SDK name"

Finally I found the solution:

Click on the project interpreter dropdown and select show all.... There you might be having multiple virtual environments with same name. Now here is the conflict you need to fix manually by renaming them so every item has the unique name.

Upvotes: 45

SteveJ
SteveJ

Reputation: 3313

Jon; I too noticed the difference in the latest version of PyCharm. It seems that it now has an affinity for the latest tool 'venv'. When you create an interpreter - that is what you get.

You can still create a virtualenv manually and point it there instead. I haven't looked into pointing it to a base python-bin because (frankly) you shouldn't generally do it.

My advice (and my proposed answer) is to embrace the change and let it create a 'venv' for you. From there, do all of your installs by "alt-F12". That will open a console with your virtual environment activate -- so your PIP installs into the virtual environment.

Once I began using virtual environments, I never looked back. It has made life much easier in the python world. Pycharm seems to know this as well and is trying to really encourage you to do the right thing.

SteveJ

[Edit Alternate way to get to terminal]

enter image description here

Upvotes: 4

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