#850 Windows Powershell doesn't like Emoji getting logged out of the box. V2 branch

Running on Windows 11

conda activate local
python run_system.py

I get an error below.

Gemini says it's because:

This error occurs because your Python script is trying to print emoji characters ( and ✅) to a Windows terminal that doesn't know how to display them.

Solution 1: Remove the Emojis from the Code (Easiest)

Solution 2: Force Python to Use UTF-8 (Environment Fix)

Solution 3: Explicitly Set Encoding in the Logger (Code Fix)

I did the environment fix $env:PYTHONUTF8=1 Which works.

python run_system.py 11:52:56 [SYSTEM] INFO: Starting RAG System Components... --- Logging error --- Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\logging_init.py", line 1163, in emit stream.write(msg + self.terminator) File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\encodings\cp1252.py", line 19, in encode return codecs.charmap_encode(input,self.errors,encoding_table)[0] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ UnicodeEncodeError: 'charmap' codec can't encode character '\U0001f680' in position 31: character maps to Call stack: File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 541, in main() File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 529, in main if manager.start_all(skip_frontend=args.no_frontend): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 348, in start_all self.logger.info(" Starting RAG System Components...") Message: ' Starting RAG System Components...' Arguments: () 11:52:56 [SYSTEM] INFO: Checking prerequisites... --- Logging error --- Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\logging_init.py", line 1163, in emit stream.write(msg + self.terminator) File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\encodings\cp1252.py", line 19, in encode return codecs.charmap_encode(input,self.errors,encoding_table)[0] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ UnicodeEncodeError: 'charmap' codec can't encode character '\U0001f50d' in position 31: character maps to Call stack: File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 541, in main() File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 529, in main if manager.start_all(skip_frontend=args.no_frontend): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 350, in start_all if not self.check_prerequisites(): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 189, in check_prerequisites self.logger.info(" Checking prerequisites...") Message: ' Checking prerequisites...' Arguments: () 11:52:57 [SYSTEM] WARNING: ⚠️ npm not found - frontend will be disabled --- Logging error --- Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\logging_init.py", line 1163, in emit stream.write(msg + self.terminator) File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\encodings\cp1252.py", line 19, in encode return codecs.charmap_encode(input,self.errors,encoding_table)[0] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ UnicodeEncodeError: 'charmap' codec can't encode characters in position 34-35: character maps to Call stack: File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 541, in main() File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 529, in main if manager.start_all(skip_frontend=args.no_frontend): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 350, in start_all if not self.check_prerequisites(): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 203, in check_prerequisites self.logger.warning("⚠️ npm not found - frontend will be disabled") Message: '⚠️ npm not found - frontend will be disabled' Arguments: () 11:52:57 [SYSTEM] INFO: ✅ All prerequisites satisfied --- Logging error --- Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\logging_init.py", line 1163, in emit stream.write(msg + self.terminator) File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\encodings\cp1252.py", line 19, in encode return codecs.charmap_encode(input,self.errors,encoding_table)[0] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ UnicodeEncodeError: 'charmap' codec can't encode character '\u2705' in position 31: character maps to Call stack: File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 541, in main() File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 529, in main if manager.start_all(skip_frontend=args.no_frontend): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 350, in start_all if not self.check_prerequisites(): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 210, in check_prerequisites self.logger.info("✅ All prerequisites satisfied") Message: '✅ All prerequisites satisfied' Arguments: () 11:52:57 [SYSTEM] INFO: ✅ Ollama already running --- Logging error --- Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\logging_init_.py", line 1163, in emit stream.write(msg + self.terminator) File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\encodings\cp1252.py", line 19, in encode return codecs.charmap_encode(input,self.errors,encoding_table)[0] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ UnicodeEncodeError: 'charmap' codec can't encode character '\u2705' in position 31: character maps to Call stack: File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 541, in main() File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 529, in main if manager.start_all(skip_frontend=args.no_frontend): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 369, in start_all if not self._start_ollama(): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 395, in start_ollama self.logger.info("✅ Ollama already running") Message: '✅ Ollama already running' Arguments: () 11:52:57 [SYSTEM] INFO: Checking required models... --- Logging error --- Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\logging_init.py", line 1163, in emit stream.write(msg + self.terminator) File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\encodings\cp1252.py", line 19, in encode return codecs.charmap_encode(input,self.errors,encoding_table)[0] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ UnicodeEncodeError: 'charmap' codec can't encode character '\U0001f4e5' in position 31: character maps to Call stack: File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 541, in main() File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 529, in main if manager.start_all(skip_frontend=args.no_frontend): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 369, in start_all if not self._start_ollama(): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 396, in start_ollama self.ensure_models() File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 224, in ensure_models self.logger.info(" Checking required models...") Message: ' Checking required models...' Arguments: () 11:52:57 [SYSTEM] INFO: ✅ qwen3:8b already available --- Logging error --- Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\logging_init.py", line 1163, in emit stream.write(msg + self.terminator) File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\encodings\cp1252.py", line 19, in encode return codecs.charmap_encode(input,self.errors,encoding_table)[0] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ UnicodeEncodeError: 'charmap' codec can't encode character '\u2705' in position 31: character maps to Call stack: File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 541, in main() File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 529, in main if manager.start_all(skip_frontend=args.no_frontend): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 369, in start_all if not self.start_ollama(): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 396, in start_ollama self.ensure_models() File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 241, in ensure_models self.logger.info(f"✅ {model} already available") Message: '✅ qwen3:8b already available' Arguments: () 11:52:57 [SYSTEM] INFO: ✅ qwen3:0.6b already available --- Logging error --- Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\logging_init.py", line 1163, in emit stream.write(msg + self.terminator) File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\encodings\cp1252.py", line 19, in encode return codecs.charmap_encode(input,self.errors,encoding_table)[0] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ UnicodeEncodeError: 'charmap' codec can't encode character '\u2705' in position 31: character maps to Call stack: File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 541, in main() File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 529, in main if manager.start_all(skip_frontend=args.no_frontend): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 369, in start_all if not self.start_ollama(): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 396, in start_ollama self.ensure_models() File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 241, in ensure_models self.logger.info(f"✅ {model} already available") Message: '✅ qwen3:0.6b already available' Arguments: () 11:52:57 [SYSTEM] INFO: Starting rag-api on port 8001... --- Logging error --- Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\logging_init.py", line 1163, in emit stream.write(msg + self.terminator) File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\encodings\cp1252.py", line 19, in encode return codecs.charmap_encode(input,self.errors,encoding_table)[0] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ UnicodeEncodeError: 'charmap' codec can't encode character '\U0001f504' in position 31: character maps to Call stack: File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 541, in main() File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 529, in main if manager.start_all(skip_frontend=args.no_frontend): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 377, in start_all if not self.start_service(service_name, config): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 259, in start_service self.logger.info(f" Starting {service_name} on port {config.port}...") Message: ' Starting rag-api on port 8001...' Arguments: () 11:52:57 [RAG-API] INFO: Traceback (most recent call last): 11:52:57 [RAG-API] INFO: File "", line 198, in run_module_as_main 11:52:57 [RAG-API] INFO: File "", line 88, in run_code 11:52:57 [RAG-API] INFO: File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\rag_system\api_server.py", line 15, in 11:52:57 [RAG-API] INFO: from backend.database import ChatDatabase, generate_session_title 11:52:57 [RAG-API] INFO: File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\backend\database.py", line 659, in 11:52:57 [RAG-API] INFO: db = ChatDatabase() 11:52:57 [RAG-API] INFO: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 11:52:57 [RAG-API] INFO: File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\backend\database.py", line 10, in init 11:52:57 [RAG-API] INFO: self.init_database() 11:52:57 [RAG-API] INFO: File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\backend\database.py", line 98, in init_database 11:52:57 [RAG-API] INFO: print("\u2705 Database initialized successfully") 11:52:57 [RAG-API] INFO: File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\encodings\cp1252.py", line 19, in encode 11:52:57 [RAG-API] INFO: return codecs.charmap_encode(input,self.errors,encoding_table)[0] 11:52:57 [RAG-API] INFO: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 11:52:57 [RAG-API] INFO: UnicodeEncodeError: 'charmap' codec can't encode character '\u2705' in position 0: character maps to 11:53:00 [SYSTEM] ERROR: ❌ rag-api failed to start --- Logging error --- Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\logging_init.py", line 1163, in emit stream.write(msg + self.terminator) File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\encodings\cp1252.py", line 19, in encode return codecs.charmap_encode(input,self.errors,encoding_table)[0] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ UnicodeEncodeError: 'charmap' codec can't encode character '\u274c' in position 32: character maps to Call stack: File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 541, in main() File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 529, in main if manager.start_all(skip_frontend=args.no_frontend): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 377, in start_all if not self.start_service(service_name, config): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 298, in start_service self.logger.error(f"❌ {service_name} failed to start") Message: '❌ rag-api failed to start' Arguments: () 11:53:00 [SYSTEM] INFO: Starting backend on port 8000... --- Logging error --- Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\logging_init.py", line 1163, in emit stream.write(msg + self.terminator) File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\encodings\cp1252.py", line 19, in encode return codecs.charmap_encode(input,self.errors,encoding_table)[0] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ UnicodeEncodeError: 'charmap' codec can't encode character '\U0001f504' in position 31: character maps to Call stack: File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 541, in main() File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 529, in main if manager.start_all(skip_frontend=args.no_frontend): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 377, in start_all if not self.start_service(service_name, config): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 259, in start_service self.logger.info(f" Starting {service_name} on port {config.port}...") Message: ' Starting backend on port 8000...' Arguments: () 11:53:00 [BACKEND] INFO: C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\backend\server.py:4: DeprecationWarning: 'cgi' is deprecated and slated for removal in Python 3.13 11:53:00 [BACKEND] INFO: import cgi 11:53:02 [SYSTEM] INFO: ✅ backend started successfully (PID: 28392) --- Logging error --- Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\logging_init.py", line 1163, in emit stream.write(msg + self.terminator) File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\encodings\cp1252.py", line 19, in encode return codecs.charmap_encode(input,self.errors,encoding_table)[0] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ UnicodeEncodeError: 'charmap' codec can't encode character '\u2705' in position 31: character maps to Call stack: File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 541, in main() File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 529, in main if manager.start_all(skip_frontend=args.no_frontend): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 377, in start_all if not self.start_service(service_name, config): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 295, in start_service self.logger.info(f"✅ {service_name} started successfully (PID: {process.pid})") Message: '✅ backend started successfully (PID: 28392)' Arguments: () 11:53:02 [SYSTEM] INFO: Starting frontend on port 3000... --- Logging error --- Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\logging_init.py", line 1163, in emit stream.write(msg + self.terminator) File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\encodings\cp1252.py", line 19, in encode return codecs.charmap_encode(input,self.errors,encoding_table)[0] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ UnicodeEncodeError: 'charmap' codec can't encode character '\U0001f504' in position 31: character maps to Call stack: File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 541, in main() File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 529, in main if manager.start_all(skip_frontend=args.no_frontend): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 377, in start_all if not self.start_service(service_name, config): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 259, in start_service self.logger.info(f" Starting {service_name} on port {config.port}...") Message: ' Starting frontend on port 3000...' Arguments: () 11:53:02 [SYSTEM] ERROR: ❌ Failed to start frontend: [WinError 2] The system cannot find the file specified --- Logging error --- Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 268, in start_service process = subprocess.Popen( ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\subprocess.py", line 1028, in init self._execute_child(args, executable, preexec_fn, close_fds, File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\subprocess.py", line 1540, in _execute_child hp, ht, pid, tid = _winapi.CreateProcess(executable, args, ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ FileNotFoundError: [WinError 2] The system cannot find the file specified

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\logging_init_.py", line 1163, in emit stream.write(msg + self.terminator) File "C:\Users\mike\miniconda3\Lib\encodings\cp1252.py", line 19, in encode return codecs.charmap_encode(input,self.errors,encoding_table)[0] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ UnicodeEncodeError: 'charmap' codec can't encode character '\u274c' in position 32: character maps to Call stack: File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 541, in main() File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 529, in main if manager.start_all(skip_frontend=args.no_frontend): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 377, in start_all if not self.start_service(service_name, config): File "C:\Users\mike\Nextcloud\Personal Projects\localGPT\run_system.py", line 302, in start_service self.logger.error(f"❌ Failed to start {service_name}: {e}") Message: '❌ Failed to start frontend: [WinError 2] The system cannot find the file specified' Arguments: () 11: