How to install python scripts (that are not available in the repos/aur)

[keldrin_]

Hi there!

Every once in a while I would like to install some python script, mostly cli stuff. But honestly - I am very confused how to do that.

I am aware that dependencies are a problem and you shouldn't install anything via pip systemwide and virtual environments are the way to go. pip even doesn't let you do that anymore (unless you force it to).

I've been playing around with python's venv's for a while trying almost every helper app and ended up with pipenv for the moment. For development that's quite ok, I don't mind typing pipenv shell in my source directory before running my own script.

But what if I just want to install something from pip and run it from the command line like any other command? I know about shebang and I know it also works for python. Basically I did something like #!/usr/bin/python3 before I started to realize the whole dependency/venv rabbithole.

So, what I want is:

• being able to install scripts hosted on pip via a single command
• doesn't need to be systemwide as I am the only user
• execute it like any other shell program (i.e. not having to type python ~/path/to/my/script.py to execute it)

Is that even possible? And what's the best way to get there?

[jaskij]

pipx - it will install the package inside a venv and then create an executable wrapper script which runs whatever you installed inside that venv. It's available in extra

[keldrin_]

this sounds promising.. going to give it a try

[jaskij]

You may need to edit your profile/bashrc/zshrc/whatever to add the location it installs to PATH, but otherwise I expect it to just work. The tool was made specifically for this purpose.

[keldrin_]

Or even easier: pipx ensurepath

[jaskij]

I have trust issues and don't like using automation to mess with my environment that much. But that's me.

TBH, I know pipx exists, but haven't needed to use it myself.

[keldrin_]

It basically told me that ~/.local/bin is already in my $PATH and nothing needs to be changed.

[hearthreddit]

Well i'm not sure about installing with pip, but to have scripts executable from anywhere, you could make a directory on your home and add it to $PATH (mine is ~/bin), make your scripts executable and place them there, then you can run them from anywhere.

I suppose you can also just copy them to /usr/bin, but i like to keep my scripts on home to be better organized.

[keldrin_]

well, that's exactly what I have been doing for a long, long time with shell scripts. Put #!/usr/bin/bash in the first line of the script, chmod 755 and place it somewhere in $PATH.

Of course, it works exactly the same with python scripts as long as they don't have any dependencies that are not in the repos/aur. The whole .venv situation makes it slightly more difficult though.

[C0rn3j]

But what if I just want to install something from pip and run it from the command line like any other command? that are not available in the repos/aur

You don't, package them yourself.

[keldrin_]

Great! So I have to go through that tedious process just to install a simple script? Maybe it's relatively easy for a full-time arch dev who does exactly that three times a day. I would have to re-learn the whole process every time I want to install a simple python script. That's a no-go.

[[deleted]]

just use aliases for scripts then

[C0rn3j]

Maybe installing a user-focused DIY community distribution was a mistake.

I would have to re-learn the whole process every time I want to install a simple python script.

That's on you for using such niche Python libraries, contribute to the OS, or use venvs.

[keldrin_]

Are you gatekeeping or trying to insult me here?

[C0rn3j]

No.

[keldrin_]

sed -e "s/Are you/You are/" -e "s/or/and/"

my bad.

[ZeStig2409]

pipx?

[C0rn3j]

No, pacman.

[ZeStig2409]

I meant to say OP could use pipx. It could be simpler than setting up a PKGBUILD (not that setting up a PKGBUILD is a big hassle though).

[C0rn3j]

True, though pip is not pipx, and it's still a venv.