Can't install eth-brownie on Ubuntu

Question

I am trying to install eth-brownie using the documentation, on Ubuntu 20.04.2. I've been going in circles for hours, trying to do everything the messages are telling me.

1. pipx install eth-brownie

   gives: Not installing to existing directory '/home/me/.local/pipx/venvs/eth-brownie'. Pass '--force' to force installation

2. fine, I tried with --force, and then got the following:

   Installing to existing directory '/home/me/.local/pipx/venvs/eth-brownie' The virtual environment was not created successfully because ensurepip is not available. On Debian/Ubuntu systems, you need to install the python3-venv package using the following command.

   apt-get install python3-venv

3. I know I already have python3, because when I type python3 I get: Python 3.8.5, blabla

   But ok, let's try doing what it says. Tried, asked to use sudo. Added 'sudo' in the beginning, and got: The following packages have unmet dependencies: python3-venv: Depends: python3.8-venv (>= 3.8.2-1~) but it is not going to be installed E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.

I searched for similar questions and have been going at it for hours. I tried the 'update' command, 'the 'upgrade' command, the 'dpkg' thing, and every suggestion I could find. I just want to have eth-brownie. Can someone please help?

Answer 1

I had some errors on Ubuntu too. But it worked installing Brownie on a virtual environment.

1. Install Virtual Env:

$ pip install virtualenv

2. Create a Virtual Env:

$ virtualenv -p python3 .

3. Activate the Virtual Env:

$ source bin/activate

4. Then you can run the brownie pipx install command:

$ pipx install eth-brownie

It should install, and you can deactivate the virtualenv just typing "deactivate" after. And you will not need to activate virtual env anymore to run Brownie.

PS: Don't create the virtualenv on the same folder of your brownie project. If you start a Brownie Project with the "brownie init" command, it will give an error requesting the folder to be empty.