Closes issue #17732: ignore install-directory specific options in

distutils.cfg when a venv is active.

2 files changed, 9 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/Doc/install/index.rst b/Doc/install/index.rst
index e0c5c16..e595309 100644
--- a/Doc/install/index.rst
+++ b/Doc/install/index.rst
@@ -645,6 +645,11 @@ environment variables, such as Mac OS 9, the configuration variables supplied by
 the Distutils are the only ones you can use.) See section :ref:`inst-config-files`
 for details.
 
+.. note:: When a :ref:`virtual environment <venv-def>` is activated, any options
+   that change the installation path will be ignored from all distutils configuration
+   files to prevent inadvertently installing projects outside of the virtual
+   environment.
+
 .. XXX need some Windows examples---when would custom installation schemes be
    needed on those platforms?
 
diff --git a/Doc/library/venv.rst b/Doc/library/venv.rst
index cd04808..dcea49f 100644
--- a/Doc/library/venv.rst
+++ b/Doc/library/venv.rst
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ Creating virtual environments
    :attr:`sys.exec_prefix` is the same as :attr:`sys.base_exec_prefix` (they
    all point to a non-venv Python installation).
 
+   When a venv is active, any options that change the installation path will be
+   ignored from all distutils configuration files to prevent projects being
+   inadvertently installed outside of the virtual environment.
+
 
 API
 ---