CLI Commands Fail on Microsoft Store Python Installations

Issue

When you install Python from the Microsoft Store, fivetran CLI commands such as fivetran debug and fivetran deploy can fail in confusing ways:

• Silent configuration failure: Fivetran logs no "configuration file passed" message is logged, even when you explicitly provide --configuration configuration.json.
• WinError 2 during debug or deploy: [WinError 2] The system cannot find the file specified appears after the debugger installation.

Environment

Fivetran Connector SDK

Resolution

Use a Python virtual environment instead of the Microsoft Store Python installation directly:

python -m venv venv
venv\Scripts\activate
pip install fivetran-connector-sdk

A virtual environment creates a real python.exe under venv\Scripts\, bypassing the App Execution Alias for Microsoft Store entirely. After activating the virtual environment, the CLI correctly inherits your shell's current working directory, so relative paths like configuration.json resolve correctly.

Always run fivetran debug and fivetran deploy from within the activated virtual environment.

Cause

Microsoft Store Python uses a different mechanism for exposing pip installed console scripts than a traditional Python installation. As a result, the fivetran launcher may not behave identically with respect to executable discovery and process startup, which can affect how the CLI resolves its execution context, including the current working directory. Creating and using a Python virtual environment installs and invokes the fivetran launcher from the virtual environment's Scripts directory, avoiding the Microsoft Store-specific launcher behavior and providing consistent command execution.