I am trying to clone my arcgispro-py3 Python environment with the default path C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Python\envs\arcgispro-py3. I want to clone it to a location that 1) I can access without admin rights and 2 ) will be recognized when I list out environments in Anaconda Prompt with conda env list. I need to clone it because I need it to be in a location that I can make changes to (e.g. install additional python packages to). I am following the instructions from How To: Clone a Python environment with the Python Command Prompt (esri.com)
If I make a clone arcgispro-py3 via Python Command prompt with a specified path (conda create --clone arcgispro-py3 --name C:\Users\me\Documents\Conda_Clone\arcgispro-py3_clone), the clone is created successfully. However, since I am placing the conda environment outside of the default envs folder, the environment is not named (i.e. I cannot refer to it with --name nor is it listed with conda env list in the Python Command Prompt).
In order to have the clone named, I tried cloning it to my default envs folder two ways. My first attempt was via Python Command prompt (conda create --clone arcgispro-py3 --name C:\Users\me\Anaconda3\envs\arcgispro-py3_clone). This attempt does nothing and prints out Access is denied.
My second attempt was with Anaconda Prompt (with base environment activated) :
conda create --clone "C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Python\envs\arcgispro-py3" --name arcgispro-py3_clone
With this Anaconda Prompt attempt, I receive:
File "C:\Users\me\Anaconda3\envs\arcgispro-py3_clone\lib\site-packages\arcgisscripting\__init__.py", line 128, in <module>
from ._arcgisscripting import *
RuntimeError: The Product License has not been initialized.
My main question is: How can I clone my arcgispro-py3 python environment as a named environment to my default envs folder?
Also out of curiosity:
Why do I suddenly have licensing issues when cloning to one directory as opposed to another?
Why does cloning an arcgispro-py3 python environment perform differently via Anaconda prompt vs. Python Command Prompt?