Fix weave import side-effects when enable_weave=False

[strickvl]

Summary

• Fixes weave import triggering wandb_init_hook and remote project creation even when enable_weave=False
• Removes unnecessary else branch that imported weave and called weave.init(..., settings={"disabled": True})
• Prevents PERMISSION_ERROR for users not logged into W&B who have Weave disabled

Problem

With wandb 0.23.0 + weave 0.52.17+, runs fail even when Weave is explicitly disabled. The root cause:

1. The old code imported weave in both branches (enabled and disabled)
2. With newer weave versions, import weave alone loads ~548 modules including weave.trace.autopatch
3. This triggers wandb_init_hook which attempts remote project creation
4. Users without credentials get PERMISSION_ERROR despite having enable_weave=False

Solution

Simply remove the else branch. When enable_weave=False, we don't import or interact with weave at all. Not importing a library is the ultimate way to disable it.

         if settings.enable_weave:
             import weave
             if self.config.project_name:
                 weave.init(project_name=self.config.project_name)
-        else:
-            import weave
-            if self.config.project_name:
-                weave.init(project_name=..., settings={"disabled": True})

Test plan

• Verified fix with wandb 0.23.0 + weave 0.52.20 in isolated venv
• Confirmed import weave loads 548 modules with potential side-effects
• Confirmed the fix prevents any weave-related code when disabled
• Manual testing with ZenML pipeline using wandb tracker with enable_weave=False

[htahir1]

is this tested? i remember i added this else statement for a reason but i forgot why

[strickvl]

is this tested? i remember i added this else statement for a reason but i forgot why

Not yet, but I'd be interested in the reason if you remember it. I couldn't understand why that was there.

[htahir1]

@strickvl sadly i cant remember... maybe because at some point weave was enabled by default or soemthing? or i wanted to make sure if false was passed to disable it for good? i just cant remember it rn

[strickvl]

@AlexejPenner @htahir1 I tested this just now:

Manually tested with:

• wandb 0.23.0 + weave 0.52.20
• Fresh venv with ZenML from this branch
• Pipeline with wandb experiment tracker and enable_weave=False

Verified:

1. Main weave package is NOT imported when disabled (only harmless wandb.integration.weave.* stubs load)
2. Pipeline runs successfully with no permission errors
3. Metrics logged correctly to W&B

[htahir1]

@strickvl Then lets merge!

[bcdurak]

I am not sure what this implies, if the issue is to import it, perhaps we can cover it in a try-except. Basically, you can still try to disable it if weave is installed?

[strickvl]

yeah Hamza also couldn't remember what it implied @bcdurak but I tested it 🤷

[bcdurak]

Yeah I saw the discussion above. He mentioned that he implemented this for a reason. That's exactly why I still think that it would be safer to just wrap this in a try-except, but I will leave it up to you.

[htahir1]

its fine lets merge it

[bcdurak]

@htahir1 it is already merged.

[bcdurak]

it's just a late comment here.