python installation glitch

[Millionero]

Problems with python preventing electrum installation

Code:

a@galliumos:~$ python3 -m pip install --user Electrum-3.3.8.tar.gz[fast]
Processing ./Electrum-3.3.8.tar.gz
    ERROR: Command errored out with exit status 1:
     command: /usr/bin/python3 -c 'import sys, setuptools, tokenize; sys.argv[0] = '"'"'/tmp/pip-req-build-es9f4rc7/setup.py'"'"'; __file__='"'"'/tmp/pip-req-build-es9f4rc7/setup.py'"'"';f=getattr(tokenize, '"'"'open'"'"', open)(__file__);code=f.read().replace('"'"'\r\n'"'"', '"'"'\n'"'"');f.close();exec(compile(code, __file__, '"'"'exec'"'"'))' egg_info --egg-base /tmp/pip-req-build-es9f4rc7/pip-egg-info
         cwd: /tmp/pip-req-build-es9f4rc7/
    Complete output (1 lines):
    Error: Electrum requires Python version >= 3.6.1...
    ----------------------------------------
ERROR: Command errored out with exit status 1: python setup.py egg_info Check the logs for full command output.
a@galliumos:~$ sudo apt install python3.8
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
python3.8 is already the newest version (3.8.0-1+xenial2).
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
a@galliumos:~$ python3 --version
Python 3.5.2

python3.8 is apparently installed but the computer is showing that Python is still version 3.5.2
Running the install command again, it gives the same error.
I'm afraid to remove python3.5 because

Code:

WARNING: The following essential packages will be removed.
This should NOT be done unless you know exactly what you are doing!
  galliumos-base ubuntu-standard (due to galliumos-base)
0 upgraded, 4 newly installed, 105 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 1.485 kB/1.650 kB of archives.
After this operation, 595 MB disk space will be freed.
You are about to do something potentially harmful.
To continue type in the phrase 'Yes, do as I say!'
 ?] 

Help, suggestions?

[AltcoinBuilder]

try:

To change Python 3.6.8 as the default in Ubuntu 18.04 to Python 3.7.

Install Python 3.7

Steps to install Python3.7 and configure it as the default interpreter.

    Install the python3.7 package using apt-get

    sudo apt-get install python3.7

    Add Python3.6 & Python 3.7 to update-alternatives

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python3 python3 /usr/bin/python3.6 1
sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python3 python3 /usr/bin/python3.7 2

    Update Python 3 to point to Python 3.7

    sudo update-alternatives --config python3 Enter 2 for Python 3.7

    Test the version of python

python3 --v
Python 3.7.1

resource: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/41986507/unable-to-set-default-python-version-to-python3-in-ubuntu

or this one:

From the comment:

sudo update-alternatives --config python

Will show you an error:

update-alternatives: error: no alternatives for python3

You need to update your update-alternatives , then you will be able to set your default python version.

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python3.5 1
sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python3.8 2

Then run :

sudo update-alternatives --config python

Set python3.8 as default.

Or use the following command to set python3.8 as default:

sudo update-alternatives  --set python /usr/bin/python3.8

resource: https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/410579/change-the-python3-default-version-in-ubuntu

[Millionero]

Usually command update-alternatives solve the problem, but you also could try use command python3.8 rather than python3 to make sure you use Python 3.8

Code:

python3.8 --version
python3.8 -m pip install --user Electrum-3.3.8.tar.gz[fast]

Thanks for the response.
First I had

Code:

ImportError: No module named pip

so I ran

Code:

sudo apt-get install python3-pip

and

Code:

a@galliumos:~$ python3.8 --version
Python 3.8.0
a@galliumos:~$ python3.8 -m pip install --user Electrum-3.3.8.tar.gz[fast]
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python3.8/runpy.py", line 183, in _run_module_as_main
    mod_name, mod_spec, code = _get_module_details(mod_name, _Error)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.8/runpy.py", line 142, in _get_module_details
    return _get_module_details(pkg_main_name, error)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.8/runpy.py", line 109, in _get_module_details
    __import__(pkg_name)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pip/__init__.py", line 14, in <module>
    from pip.utils import get_installed_distributions, get_prog
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pip/utils/__init__.py", line 23, in <module>
    from pip.locations import (
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pip/locations.py", line 9, in <module>
    from distutils import sysconfig
ImportError: cannot import name 'sysconfig' from 'distutils' (/usr/lib/python3.8/distutils/__init__.py)

I've been using linux for years but at this stuff I'm still a noob.
Since I'm at a dead end for ETFbitcoin's suggestions, I'll try AltcoinBuilder's idea when I have the time.  Will report back.

[jackg]

Is python not backwards compatible? I thought it would be since all the old modules are the same without them making a python 4 (they just change system libraries and compilation stuff).

And yeah it looks just like you need pip install distutils.

@Millionero, when you want to read python errors. Look for the bottom line first (traceback most recent call last) is given to say the error is generally on the last line and moving up but the other lines are a call stack...

[Millionero]

I just posted a response about all the errors I'm getting but the response was so long that it got cut off.
Python is broken beyond repair.
I can either use the Electrum appimage, or reinstall my OS and start fresh with Python.
I'm going to have to reinstall the OS anyway because grub is broken and I can't repair it either.

[HCP]

Is python not backwards compatible? I thought it would be since all the old modules are the same without them making a python 4 (they just change system libraries and compilation stuff).

Python has a lot of versioning issues... look at all the "Python 2" vs "Python 3" issues... but then 3 was intentionally not backwards compatible.

This article explains the new features in Python 3.0, compared to 2.6. Python 3.0, also known as “Python 3000” or “Py3K”, is the first ever intentionally backwards incompatible Python release. There are more changes than in a typical release, and more that are important for all Python users. Nevertheless, after digesting the changes, you’ll find that Python really hasn’t changed all that much – by and large, we’re mostly fixing well-known annoyances and warts, and removing a lot of old cruft.

Also, various linux distros all use different "default" versions... which can and do cause problems for users when they are attempting to use various apps that rely on specific versions. There are very good reasons why the Electrum devs put out the "AppImage"

[IeSua]

@Millionero, the fact that you have installed python versions 3.8 or 3.5.2 does not mean that your system uses it by default.


Please write the answers to all these commands:

Code:

python -V

Code:

python3 -V

Code:

python3.8 --version

Code:

ls /usr/bin/python2*

Code:

ls /usr/bin/python3*

[Millionero]

Please write the answers to all these commands:

Here you go

Code:

a@galliumos:~$ python -V
Python 3.7.5
a@galliumos:~$ python3 -V
Python 3.6.9
a@galliumos:~$ python3.8 --version
Python 3.8.0
a@galliumos:~$ ls /usr/bin/python2*
ls: cannot access '/usr/bin/python2*': No such file or directory
a@galliumos:~$ ls /usr/bin/python3*
/usr/bin/python3           /usr/bin/python3.5-dbg-config  /usr/bin/python3.5m-config  /usr/bin/python3.7m      /usr/bin/python3m-config
/usr/bin/python3.5         /usr/bin/python3.5dm           /usr/bin/python3.6          /usr/bin/python3.8
/usr/bin/python3.5-config  /usr/bin/python3.5dm-config    /usr/bin/python3.6m         /usr/bin/python3-config
/usr/bin/python3.5-dbg     /usr/bin/python3.5m            /usr/bin/python3.7          /usr/bin/python3m
a@galliumos:~$ 

[IeSua]

Please write the answers to all these commands:

Here you go

~

You have 4 versions of Python (default version is 3.7.5).

Code:

sudo apt install python3-pyqt5

Code:

wget https://download.electrum.org/3.3.8/Electrum-3.3.8.tar.gz

Code:

sudo apt install python3-setuptools python3-pip

Code:

sudo pip3 install Electrum-3.3.8.tar.gz

Code:

electrum

And everything should work.

-----

If not, you can try changing the default python version and try again:

// this will change to version 3.6.9

Code:

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python3.6 2

// this will change to version 3.8.0

Code:

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python3.8 2