pip and tox are broken after python upgrade

Question

After a Python upgrade, to install Python 3.8, tox, pip, venv doesn't work. I applied this , step 01 to 07 and after that I did:

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/local/bin/python3.8 1
sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python3 python3 /usr/local/bin/python3.8 1

I made a mistake on the first line, so I fixed it with

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python2.7 2

And now I've this

~ python --version
Python 2.7.16
~ python3 --version
Python 3.8.2

After that I tried these command:

➜  ~ /usr/local/bin/python3.8 -m venv $HOME/test
Error: Command '['/home/sguiho/test/bin/python3.8', '-Im', 'ensurepip', '--upgrade', '--default-pip']' returned non-zero exit status 2.

➜  ~ python -m pip install tox
Exception:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/pip/_internal/cli/base_command.py", line 143, in main
    status = self.run(options, args)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/pip/_internal/commands/install.py", line 279, in run
    with self._build_session(options) as session:
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/pip/_internal/cli/base_command.py", line 79, in _build_session
    insecure_hosts=options.trusted_hosts,
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/pip/_internal/download.py", line 337, in __init__
    self.headers["User-Agent"] = user_agent()
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/pip/_internal/download.py", line 100, in user_agent
    zip(["name", "version", "id"], distro.linux_distribution()),
  File "/usr/share/python-wheels/distro-1.3.0-py2.py3-none-any.whl/distro.py", line 120, in linux_distribution
    return _distro.linux_distribution(full_distribution_name)
  File "/usr/share/python-wheels/distro-1.3.0-py2.py3-none-any.whl/distro.py", line 675, in linux_distribution
    self.version(),
  File "/usr/share/python-wheels/distro-1.3.0-py2.py3-none-any.whl/distro.py", line 735, in version
    self.lsb_release_attr('release'),
  File "/usr/share/python-wheels/distro-1.3.0-py2.py3-none-any.whl/distro.py", line 892, in lsb_release_attr
    return self._lsb_release_info.get(attribute, '')
  File "/usr/share/python-wheels/distro-1.3.0-py2.py3-none-any.whl/distro.py", line 550, in __get__
    ret = obj.__dict__[self._fname] = self._f(obj)
  File "/usr/share/python-wheels/distro-1.3.0-py2.py3-none-any.whl/distro.py", line 998, in _lsb_release_info
    stdout = subprocess.check_output(cmd, stderr=devnull)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/subprocess.py", line 223, in check_output
    raise CalledProcessError(retcode, cmd, output=output)
CalledProcessError: Command '('lsb_release', '-a')' returned non-zero exit status 1

➜  ~ python3 -m pip install tox
ERROR: Exception:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pip/_internal/cli/base_command.py", line 188, in main
    status = self.run(options, args)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pip/_internal/commands/install.py", line 286, in run
    with self._build_session(options) as session:
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pip/_internal/cli/base_command.py", line 101, in _build_session
    session = PipSession(
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pip/_internal/download.py", line 559, in __init__
    self.headers["User-Agent"] = user_agent()
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pip/_internal/download.py", line 144, in user_agent
    zip(["name", "version", "id"], distro.linux_distribution()),
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pip/_vendor/distro.py", line 122, in linux_distribution
    return _distro.linux_distribution(full_distribution_name)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pip/_vendor/distro.py", line 677, in linux_distribution
    self.version(),
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pip/_vendor/distro.py", line 737, in version
    self.lsb_release_attr('release'),
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pip/_vendor/distro.py", line 899, in lsb_release_attr
    return self._lsb_release_info.get(attribute, '')
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pip/_vendor/distro.py", line 552, in __get__
    ret = obj.__dict__[self._fname] = self._f(obj)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pip/_vendor/distro.py", line 1012, in _lsb_release_info
    stdout = subprocess.check_output(cmd, stderr=devnull)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/subprocess.py", line 411, in check_output
    return run(*popenargs, stdout=PIPE, timeout=timeout, check=True,
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/subprocess.py", line 512, in run
    raise CalledProcessError(retcode, process.args,
subprocess.CalledProcessError: Command '('lsb_release', '-a')' returned non-zero exit status 1.
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/runpy.py", line 193, in _run_module_as_main
    return _run_code(code, main_globals, None,
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/runpy.py", line 86, in _run_code
    exec(code, run_globals)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pip/__main__.py", line 19, in <module>
    sys.exit(_main())
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pip/_internal/__init__.py", line 77, in main
    return command.main(cmd_args)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pip/_internal/cli/base_command.py", line 234, in main
    session = self._build_session(
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pip/_internal/cli/base_command.py", line 101, in _build_session
    session = PipSession(
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pip/_internal/download.py", line 559, in __init__
    self.headers["User-Agent"] = user_agent()
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pip/_internal/download.py", line 144, in user_agent
    zip(["name", "version", "id"], distro.linux_distribution()),
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pip/_vendor/distro.py", line 122, in linux_distribution
    return _distro.linux_distribution(full_distribution_name)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pip/_vendor/distro.py", line 677, in linux_distribution
    self.version(),
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pip/_vendor/distro.py", line 737, in version
    self.lsb_release_attr('release'),
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pip/_vendor/distro.py", line 899, in lsb_release_attr
    return self._lsb_release_info.get(attribute, '')
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pip/_vendor/distro.py", line 552, in __get__
    ret = obj.__dict__[self._fname] = self._f(obj)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pip/_vendor/distro.py", line 1012, in _lsb_release_info
    stdout = subprocess.check_output(cmd, stderr=devnull)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/subprocess.py", line 411, in check_output
    return run(*popenargs, stdout=PIPE, timeout=timeout, check=True,
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/subprocess.py", line 512, in run
    raise CalledProcessError(retcode, process.args,
subprocess.CalledProcessError: Command '('lsb_release', '-a')' returned non-zero exit status 1.

Do you have any ideas? Should I reinstall my OS to avoid wasting my time?

OS: Debian Buster

Answer 1

Have you executed $ sudo update-alternatives --config python as well?

You can have multiple python version installed. The best way is to use virtual environment, with specifying from which python version you are stemming from. Just as in your reference article:

python3.8 -m venv my_app_venv and then source the env:

source my_app_venv/bin/activate