try to fix the case the *_ROOT dir is not in sys.path

base.py

@@ -302,7 +302,10 @@ class ServiceManager:
         if not ins:
             raise UsageError('need instance')
         env = self.env[ins]
-        return env.get('%s_ROOT' % gr, ''), env
+        startdir = env.get('%s_ROOT' % gr, '')
+        if startdir not in sys.path:
+            sys.path.insert(0, startdir)
+        return startdir, env
 
     def do_start(self, ins, service=None, cfg='', restart=False, wait=False, logger=None, opts=''):
         if not ins:
@@ -367,8 +370,6 @@ class ServiceManager:
                 start_dir, env = self.prepare_start(ins, service_i, cfg)
                 env = dict(os.environ, **env, Instrument=ins)
                 os.chdir(start_dir)
-                if start_dir not in sys.path:
-                    sys.path.insert(0, start_dir)
                 nicosenv = '/home/nicos/nicos/nicosenv/bin/'
                 if exists(nicosenv):
                     env['PATH'] = f"{nicosenv}:{env['PATH']}"

frappyman.py

@@ -46,7 +46,11 @@ class Config:
     def get(cls, cfgfile):
         if not cls.process_file:
             import logging
-            from frappy.config import process_file
+            try:
+                from frappy.config import process_file
+            except Exception as e:
+                print(sys.path)
+                raise
             from frappy.lib import generalConfig
             generalConfig.init()
             cls.log = logging.getLogger('frappyman')
@@ -165,9 +169,7 @@ class FrappyManager(ServiceManager):
             return [i for i in ins_list if i in cfgs]
 
     def get_nodes(self, ins='', service=None):
-        start_dir = ServiceManager.prepare_start(self, ins, None)[0]
-        if start_dir not in sys.path:
-            sys.path.insert(0, start_dir)
+        ServiceManager.prepare_start(self, ins, None)
         nodes = []
         services = self.services if service is None else [service]
         for service in services:
@@ -301,6 +303,7 @@ class FrappyManager(ServiceManager):
     def do_listcfg(self, ins='', service='', prt=print):
         if not ins:
              raise UsageError('missing instance')
+        ServiceManager.prepare_start(self, ins, service)
         self.all_cfg(ins, service, True)
         seacfgpat = re.compile(r'(.*)(\.config|\.stick|\.addon)')
         keylen = max((max(len(k) for k in cfgs) for cfgs in self.list_info.values()), default=1)