Always run in a project virtual environment

README.md

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # anker-shelly-bridge
 
 <p align="center">
-  <img src="docs\screenshot.jpg" alt="Live monitor dashboard showing battery level, solar input, grid input and load for an Anker SOLIX F3000, with Shelly switch states and a rolling history chart" width="900">
+  <img src="docs/screenshot.jpg" alt="Live monitor dashboard showing battery level, solar input, grid input and load for an Anker SOLIX F3000, with Shelly switch states and a rolling history chart" width="900">
 </p>
 
 Automate a Shelly smart plug from live Anker SOLIX telemetry.
@@ -35,8 +35,9 @@ cd anker-shelly-bridge
 
 On Windows, double-click `start.bat`.
 
-That is the whole install. `start.sh` creates its own Python environment,
+That is the whole install. `start.sh` builds a Python environment for this
-installs everything, and hands over to a guided setup with eight steps:
+project at `~/solix-automation/venv`, installs everything into it, and hands
+over to a guided setup with eight steps:
 
 1. **Dependencies**: installs whatever is missing
 2. **Anker account**: your login, stored locally with owner-only permissions
@@ -54,6 +55,10 @@ Nothing touches your hardware until step 8 asks. Ctrl-C is safe at any point.
 Needs Python 3.12+ and git. If they are missing, `start.sh` tells you how to
 install them for your platform.
 
+Everything the project needs lives in its own environment, so installing or
+removing packages elsewhere on the machine cannot break your automation. The
+background service is pinned to that same interpreter.
+
 ---
 
 ## What it does

solixauto/service.py

@@ -23,6 +23,22 @@ def service_label(profile_name):
     return f"com.solixauto.{profile_name}"
 
 
+def preferred_python():
+    candidates = [
+        paths.BASE_DIR / "venv" / "bin" / "python",
+        paths.BASE_DIR / "venv" / "Scripts" / "python.exe",
+    ]
+    for candidate in candidates:
+        if candidate.exists():
+            probe = subprocess.run(
+                [str(candidate), "-c", "import anker_solix_api.api"],
+                capture_output=True,
+            )
+            if probe.returncode == 0:
+                return str(candidate)
+    return sys.executable
+
+
 def script_path():
     if sys.argv and sys.argv[0]:
         return str(Path(sys.argv[0]).resolve())
@@ -84,7 +100,7 @@ def launchd_plist(profile_name):
 
     <key>ProgramArguments</key>
     <array>
-      <string>{sys.executable}</string>
+      <string>{preferred_python()}</string>
       <string>{script}</string>
       <string>run</string>
       <string>{profile_name}</string>
@@ -125,7 +141,7 @@ After=network-online.target
 
 [Service]
 Type=simple
-ExecStart={sys.executable} {script} run {profile_name} --quiet
+ExecStart={preferred_python()} {script} run {profile_name} --quiet
 WorkingDirectory={Path(script).parent}
 {env_lines}Restart=always
 RestartSec=60
@@ -142,7 +158,7 @@ def windows_instructions(profile_name):
 others. Use Task Scheduler:
 
   schtasks /create /tn "{label}" /sc onlogon /rl highest ^
-    /tr "\\"{sys.executable}\\" \\"{script}\\" run {profile_name} --quiet"
+    /tr "\\"{preferred_python()}\\" \\"{script}\\" run {profile_name} --quiet"
 
 To remove it:
 

start.bat

@@ -1,35 +1,106 @@
 @echo off
-setlocal
+setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
 
 cd /d "%~dp0"
 
+if "%SOLIXAUTO_HOME%"=="" (
+    set "DATA_DIR=%USERPROFILE%\solix-automation"
+) else (
+    set "DATA_DIR=%SOLIXAUTO_HOME%"
+)
+set "VENV_DIR=%DATA_DIR%\venv"
+set "VENV_PYTHON=%VENV_DIR%\Scripts\python.exe"
+
 echo.
 echo ==============================================================
-echo  Anker SOLIX to Shelly automation - setup
+echo  Anker SOLIX to Shelly automation
 echo ==============================================================
 echo.
 
-set PYTHON=
+if exist "%VENV_PYTHON%" (
+    "%VENV_PYTHON%" -c "import anker_solix_api.api, yaml, aiohttp" >nul 2>&1
+    if not errorlevel 1 (
+        echo Using: %VENV_PYTHON%
+        echo.
+        "%VENV_PYTHON%" "%~dp0solixauto.py" setup
+        goto :end
+    )
+)
 
+set "BASE="
 for %%P in (py python) do (
-    if not defined PYTHON (
+    if not defined BASE (
-        where %%P >nul 2>&1 && set PYTHON=%%P
+        where %%P >nul 2>&1 && set "BASE=%%P"
     )
 )
 
-if not defined PYTHON (
+if not defined BASE (
-    echo No Python found on PATH.
+    echo Python 3.12 or newer is required and was not found on PATH.
-    echo Install Python 3.12 or newer from https://www.python.org/downloads/
+    echo Install it from https://www.python.org/downloads/
     echo Tick "Add python.exe to PATH" during installation, then run this again.
     echo.
     pause
     exit /b 1
 )
 
-echo Using: %PYTHON%
+where git >nul 2>&1
+if errorlevel 1 (
+    echo Git is required to fetch the Anker library, and was not found.
+    echo Install it from https://git-scm.com/download/win
     echo.
+    pause
+    exit /b 1
+)
 
-%PYTHON% "%~dp0solixauto.py" setup
+echo This project runs in its own Python environment, so that installing or
+echo removing packages elsewhere on this machine cannot break your automation.
+echo.
+echo It will be created at:
+echo     %VENV_DIR%
+echo.
+set /p REPLY="Set it up now? [Y/n]: "
+if /i "%REPLY%"=="n" (
+    echo Nothing was changed.
+    goto :end
+)
+
+echo.
+echo Creating the environment...
+if not exist "%DATA_DIR%" mkdir "%DATA_DIR%"
+if exist "%VENV_DIR%" rmdir /s /q "%VENV_DIR%"
+
+%BASE% -m venv "%VENV_DIR%"
+if not exist "%VENV_PYTHON%" (
+    echo Could not create a virtual environment at %VENV_DIR%
+    pause
+    exit /b 1
+)
+
+echo Installing packages. This takes a minute.
+echo.
+"%VENV_PYTHON%" -m pip install --upgrade pip --quiet
+"%VENV_PYTHON%" -m pip install -r "%~dp0requirements.txt" --quiet
+"%VENV_PYTHON%" -m pip install "git+https://github.com/thomluther/anker-solix-api.git" --quiet
+"%VENV_PYTHON%" -m pip install aiofiles cryptography paho-mqtt --quiet
+
+"%VENV_PYTHON%" -c "import anker_solix_api.api" >nul 2>&1
+if errorlevel 1 (
+    echo.
+    echo The install finished but the Anker library still will not import.
+    echo Run this to see the error:
+    echo     "%VENV_PYTHON%" -c "import anker_solix_api.api"
+    pause
+    exit /b 1
+)
+
+echo.
+echo Environment ready.
+echo.
+echo From now on, run commands with:
+echo     "%VENV_PYTHON%" solixauto.py ^<command^>
+echo.
+"%VENV_PYTHON%" "%~dp0solixauto.py" setup
 
+:end
 echo.
 pause

start.sh

@@ -4,51 +4,35 @@ set -euo pipefail
 HERE="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
 cd "$HERE"
 
-VENV_DIR="${SOLIXAUTO_VENV:-$HOME/solix-automation/venv}"
+DATA_DIR="${SOLIXAUTO_HOME:-$HOME/solix-automation}"
+VENV_DIR="${SOLIXAUTO_VENV:-$DATA_DIR/venv}"
+VENV_PYTHON="$VENV_DIR/bin/python"
 REPO_URL="https://github.com/thomluther/anker-solix-api.git"
 
 echo
 echo "=============================================================="
-echo " Anker SOLIX to Shelly automation - setup"
+echo " Anker SOLIX to Shelly automation"
 echo "=============================================================="
 echo
 
 works() {
-    [ -x "$1" ] && "$1" -c "import anker_solix_api.api" >/dev/null 2>&1
+    [ -x "$1" ] && "$1" -c "import anker_solix_api.api, yaml, aiohttp" >/dev/null 2>&1
 }
 
-usable_python() {
+if works "$VENV_PYTHON"; then
-    local candidates=(
+    echo "Using: $VENV_PYTHON"
-        "$VENV_DIR/bin/python"
+    echo
-        "$HOME/anker-solix-mqtt/venv/bin/python"
+    exec "$VENV_PYTHON" "$HERE/solixauto.py" setup
-        "$HERE/venv/bin/python"
-    )
-    for candidate in "${candidates[@]}"; do
-        if works "$candidate"; then
-            echo "$candidate"
-            return 0
 fi
-    done
-    for name in python3.14 python3.13 python3.12 python3; do
-        if command -v "$name" >/dev/null 2>&1 && works "$(command -v "$name")"; then
-            command -v "$name"
-            return 0
-        fi
-    done
-    return 1
-}
 
-base_python() {
+find_base_python() {
-    if [ -x "$VENV_DIR/bin/python" ]; then
-        echo "$VENV_DIR/bin/python"
-        return 0
-    fi
     for name in python3.14 python3.13 python3.12 python3; do
         if command -v "$name" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-            local version
+            local path version
-            version="$("$name" -c 'import sys; print(sys.version_info[0]*100+sys.version_info[1])' 2>/dev/null || echo 0)"
+            path="$(command -v "$name")"
+            version="$("$path" -c 'import sys; print(sys.version_info[0]*100+sys.version_info[1])' 2>/dev/null || echo 0)"
             if [ "$version" -ge 312 ]; then
-                command -v "$name"
+                echo "$path"
                 return 0
             fi
         fi
@@ -56,18 +40,7 @@ base_python() {
     return 1
 }
 
-PYTHON="$(usable_python || true)"
+BASE="$(find_base_python || true)"
-
-if [ -n "${PYTHON:-}" ]; then
-    echo "Using Python: $PYTHON"
-    echo
-    exec "$PYTHON" "$HERE/solixauto.py" setup
-fi
-
-echo "Nothing on this machine can talk to Anker yet."
-echo
-
-BASE="$(base_python || true)"
 
 if [ -z "${BASE:-}" ]; then
     echo "Python 3.12 or newer is required and was not found."
@@ -76,8 +49,10 @@ if [ -z "${BASE:-}" ]; then
         echo "Install it with:   brew install python@3.13"
     elif command -v apt >/dev/null 2>&1; then
         echo "Install it with:   sudo apt install python3 python3-venv python3-pip git"
+    elif command -v dnf >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        echo "Install it with:   sudo dnf install python3 python3-pip git"
     else
-        echo "Install Python 3.12+ from https://www.python.org/downloads/"
+        echo "Install Python 3.12 or newer from https://www.python.org/downloads/"
     fi
     echo
     echo "Then run this script again."
@@ -90,18 +65,28 @@ if ! command -v git >/dev/null 2>&1; then
     if [ "$(uname)" = "Darwin" ]; then
         echo "Install the Xcode command line tools:   xcode-select --install"
     else
-        echo "Install git with your package manager, for example: sudo apt install git"
+        echo "Install git with your package manager, for example:"
+        echo "    sudo apt install git"
     fi
     echo
     echo "Then run this script again."
     exit 1
 fi
 
-echo "This will create a self-contained Python environment and install"
+if [ -d "$VENV_DIR" ]; then
-echo "everything needed. Nothing outside these two locations is touched:"
+    echo "The environment at $VENV_DIR is incomplete."
+    echo "It will be rebuilt. Nothing else is touched."
+else
+    echo "This project runs in its own Python environment, so that installing or"
+    echo "removing packages elsewhere on this machine cannot break your"
+    echo "automation."
     echo
+    echo "It will be created at:"
     echo "    $VENV_DIR"
-echo "    $HOME/solix-automation"
+fi
+
+echo
+echo "Base interpreter: $BASE"
 echo
 printf "Set it up now? [Y/n]: "
 read -r reply
@@ -110,38 +95,48 @@ case "${reply:-y}" in
 esac
 
 echo
-echo "Creating the environment with $BASE ..."
+echo "Creating the environment..."
-mkdir -p "$(dirname "$VENV_DIR")"
+mkdir -p "$DATA_DIR"
-"$BASE" -m venv "$VENV_DIR"
+rm -rf "$VENV_DIR"
 
-VENV_PYTHON="$VENV_DIR/bin/python"
+if ! "$BASE" -m venv "$VENV_DIR"; then
-[ -x "$VENV_PYTHON" ] || VENV_PYTHON="$VENV_DIR/Scripts/python.exe"
+    echo
+    echo "Could not create a virtual environment."
+    if command -v apt >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        echo "On Debian and Ubuntu this usually means python3-venv is missing:"
+        echo "    sudo apt install python3-venv"
+    fi
+    exit 1
+fi
 
 if [ ! -x "$VENV_PYTHON" ]; then
-    echo "Could not create the environment at $VENV_DIR"
+    echo "The environment was created but has no interpreter at $VENV_PYTHON"
     exit 1
 fi
 
 echo "Installing packages. This takes a minute."
 echo
+
 "$VENV_PYTHON" -m pip install --upgrade pip --quiet
 "$VENV_PYTHON" -m pip install -r "$HERE/requirements.txt" --quiet
 "$VENV_PYTHON" -m pip install "git+$REPO_URL" --quiet
 
-# The upstream package does not declare its runtime dependencies, so a plain
+# The upstream Anker library does not declare its runtime dependencies, so a
-# install of it imports the package but fails on first real use.
+# plain install imports the package but fails on first real use.
 "$VENV_PYTHON" -m pip install aiofiles cryptography paho-mqtt --quiet
 
 if ! works "$VENV_PYTHON"; then
     echo
-    echo "Some dependencies are still missing. The setup wizard will resolve"
+    echo "The install finished but the Anker library still will not import."
-    echo "the rest as it goes."
+    echo "Run this to see the error:"
+    echo "    $VENV_PYTHON -c 'import anker_solix_api.api'"
+    exit 1
 fi
 
 echo
-echo "Environment ready: $VENV_PYTHON"
+echo "Environment ready."
 echo
-echo "Tip: from now on you can run commands as"
+echo "From now on, run commands with:"
 echo "    $VENV_PYTHON solixauto.py <command>"
 echo
 exec "$VENV_PYTHON" "$HERE/solixauto.py" setup