Conda Activation fails on Windows with Conda 4.4.0 and later

[DonJayamanne]

The problem is conda is not in current path.
Reported by @jmew

Discussions found here #1882

[DonJayamanne]

We'll need to decide on how we solve this?

• Do we get Conda to provide a proper solution
• Do we try to find alternatives/work around until then.
  I believe we must, else conda activations is impossible with VSC extension untill the next version of Conda that has the fix (if it does).
  I.e. users of Conda + Windows will not have a solution for a while.

@Microsoft/pvsc-team

[ericsnowcurrently]

Also see #668 and conda/conda#626.

[brettcannon]

Unfortunately we have conflicting instructions at this point. https://conda.io/docs/user-guide/tasks/manage-environments.html#activating-an-environment says to use an Anaconda Prompt (which is Command Prompt) with no PowerShell support. But if you look at https://github.com/conda/conda/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md#recommended-change-to-enable-conda-in-your-shell it says it should be conda activate but that doesn't work on Windows for either Command Prompt or PowerShell.

I think the only option we have is to only use conda activate on UNIX and stick with the activate command on Windows -- using an absolute path to the command -- while asking Anaconda to fix the situation on their end. Basically we can only do so much because we can't will into existence proper Windows support from conda.