refactor: replace canonicalization in search path retrieval with dedicated normalization function

Author: karthiknadig

crates/pet-env-var-path/src/lib.rs

@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 
 use pet_core::os_environment::Environment;
 use std::collections::HashSet;
-use std::fs;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 
 pub fn get_search_paths_from_env_variables(environment: &dyn Environment) -> Vec<PathBuf> {
@@ -19,7 +18,7 @@ pub fn get_search_paths_from_env_variables(environment: &dyn Environment) -> Vec
         environment
             .get_know_global_search_locations()
             .into_iter()
-            .map(|p| fs::canonicalize(&p).unwrap_or(p))
+            .map(normalize_search_path)
             .collect::<HashSet<PathBuf>>()
             .into_iter()
             .filter(|p| !p.starts_with(apps_path.clone()))
@@ -28,3 +27,28 @@ pub fn get_search_paths_from_env_variables(environment: &dyn Environment) -> Vec
         Vec::new()
     }
 }
+
+/// Normalizes a search path for deduplication purposes.
+///
+/// On Unix: Uses fs::canonicalize to resolve symlinks. This is important for merged-usr
+/// systems where /bin, /sbin, /usr/sbin are symlinks to /usr/bin - we don't want to
+/// report the same Python installation multiple times.
+/// See: https://github.com/microsoft/python-environment-tools/pull/200
+///
+/// On Windows: Uses norm_case (GetLongPathNameW) to normalize case WITHOUT resolving
+/// directory junctions. This is important for tools like Scoop that use junctions
+/// (e.g., python\current -> python\3.13.3). Using fs::canonicalize would resolve
+/// the junction, causing symlink tracking to fail when the shim points to the
+/// junction path but executables are discovered from the resolved path.
+/// See: https://github.com/microsoft/python-environment-tools/issues/187
+fn normalize_search_path(path: PathBuf) -> PathBuf {
+    #[cfg(unix)]
+    {
+        std::fs::canonicalize(&path).unwrap_or(path)
+    }
+
+    #[cfg(windows)]
+    {
+        pet_fs::path::norm_case(&path)
+    }
+}