How to update python in the correct way?

Leonardo Ferreira

6/19/23, 5:35 PM

I have ever updated my python version without problem but I did note that for an unknown reason my OS is not working well when I do change my python version using `sudo update-alternatives --config python3`

I do have the alternatives:

$ sudo update-alternatives --config python3
There are 3 choices for the alternative python3 (providing /usr/bin/python3).

  Selection    Path                 Priority   Status
---------------------------------------------
  0            /usr/bin/python3.8    2         auto mode
  1            /usr/bin/python3.10   1         manual mode
* 2            /usr/bin/python3.8    2         manual mode
  3            /usr/bin/python3.9    2         manual mode

Press <enter> to keep the current choice[*], or type selection number: 1
update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/python3.10 to provide /usr/bin/python3 (python3) in manual mode

If I don't choose python3.8 version some system commands and apps will not work;

For example when I set the py 3.9 as default and tried to run a system cmd:

$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:deadsnakes/ppa
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/add-apt-repository", line 12, in <module>
    from softwareproperties.SoftwareProperties import SoftwareProperties, shortcut_handler
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/softwareproperties/SoftwareProperties.py", line 68, in <module>
    from gi.repository import Gio
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/gi/__init__.py", line 42, in <module>
    from . import _gi
ImportError: cannot import name '_gi' from partially initialized module 'gi' (most likely due to a circular import) (/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/gi/__init__.py)

Any help on how to fix it will be very welcome! REgards, Leonardo

0 + 0

update-manager

update-alternatives

python3

20.04

David

6/19/23, 5:42 PM

Changing the default version kills many features of the OS and should never be done. Each version has a particular version that MUST be used.

Leonardo Ferreira

6/19/23, 5:44 PM

hummm... I never heard about this... So how should I proceed? Depending on what I want to do a need to change the default python version?

David

6/19/23, 5:45 PM

A search of the site would have given you dozens if not hundreds of questions warning of this. You never change the DEFAULT.

Leonardo Ferreira

6/19/23, 5:58 PM

I read dozens of tutorials about updating the python version and in no one of them they did mention about this

mikewhatever

6/19/23, 6:06 PM

You install a new version locally, and use it, without changing the default version. It is not an update, becasuse "update python" will break things.

Leonardo Ferreira

6/19/23, 6:31 PM