Starting with version 0.9.2.6, PyRadio has changed (yet again) its installation method, forced by the emergance of Ubuntu 23.04.
After abandoning invoking setup.py directly, now it’s time to start using virtual environments (through a program called pipx) along with the pure pip method.
This is not a PyRadio thing; distributions are starting to embrace this behaviour.
The rationale behind this move it this: since pip can be used to install packages system wide, it can easily “destroy” the whole python installation. This would be the equivalent of forcing the installation of an Ubuntu package in a Debian system or a Debian 11 package on a Debian 8 system.
At the same time, python scripts and packages are already used by distributions to provide system tools and breaking a system’s python installation may lead to breaking the whole system.
The solution is forcing the use of virtual environments for any python script or program or package that is not provided by the distribution itself, effectively isolating the program’s installation from the rest of the system. Any program, package or module installed within the virtual environment exists and lives within that environment only, it does not interfere with the distribution’s Python installation and cannot “destroy” it.
Python virtual environments have existed for a long time, but their use was not always that straight forward. Fortunately, a program called pipx will help with the installation and execution of python programs from within a virtual environment while taking care of the overhead required.
Moving to the pipx means:
PyRadio will be installed by default through pipx on Linux, if pipx is already installed.
If a Linux distribution does not provide a pipx package, you can still use the pip installation method.
PyRadio on Windows will still use the pip installation method.
PyRadio will only be installed using pipx on Python 3 on MacOS.
If you already have PyRadio installed, a subsequent update notification may lead to an installation failure. The same goes if you try to install PyRadio on a freshly installed Ubuntu 23.04 (or Debian or any other distribution that ships its python “externally managed” in the future).
This is what you get on Ubuntu 23.04 (and probably Debian and any distribution based on them):
error: externally-managed-environment
× This environment is externally managed
╰─> To install Python packages system-wide, try apt install
python3-xyz, where xyz is the package you are trying to
install.
If you wish to install a non-Debian-packaged Python package,
create a virtual environment using python3 -m venv path/to/venv.
Then use path/to/venv/bin/python and path/to/venv/bin/pip. Make
sure you have python3-full installed.
If you wish to install a non-Debian packaged Python application,
it may be easiest to use pipx install xyz, which will manage a
virtual environment for you. Make sure you have pipx installed.
See /usr/share/doc/python3.11/README.venv [1] for more information.
--
[1] https://sources.debian.org/src/python3.11/3.11.2-6/debian/README.venv
If you get that message, or a similar one, it is time to install pipx.
If you are on any of the BSDs, please do install bash beforehand and try to follow the pip installation guide.
Please be aware that PyRadio is provided as a port on FreeBSB.
If installing on a Rasberry Pi, there are a couple of things you should be aware of:
Please follow the installation guides for your OS.