--system flag no longer working as documented #3951
Description
I have been using uv in virtual environments managed by pyenv virtualenv. The --system flag worked great with uv 0.1.45 but does not work with 0.2.5, and the docs still suggest that it should still work:
For convenience,
uv pip install --systemwill install into the system Python environment, as an approximate shorthand for, e.g.,uv pip install --python=$(which python3).
I understand that, currently, there are two work-arounds:
uv pip ... --python=$(which python)python -m uv ...
But --system was more convenient, and it wasn't clear to me that it was intentional for it to have stopped working as previously.
Successful usage of --system flag with 0.1.45:
$ venv_name=uv-0.1.x
$ pyenv uninstall --force ${venv_name}
$ pyenv virtualenv ${venv_name}
$ pyenv shell ${venv_name}
$ pip install uv==0.1.45
[details omitted]
$ uv --version
uv 0.1.45 (a33a05e2d 2024-05-20)
$ pyenv version
uv-0.1.x (set by PYENV_VERSION environment variable)
$ python -c 'import sys; print(f"{(sys.prefix==sys.base_prefix)=}")'
(sys.prefix==sys.base_prefix)=False
$ uv pip install --system --upgrade pip setuptools wheel
Resolved 3 packages in 299ms
Installed 3 packages in 34ms
- pip==22.3.1
+ pip==24.0
- setuptools==65.5.0
+ setuptools==70.0.0
+ wheel==0.43.0
$ pyenv shell --unsetUnsuccessful usage of --system flag with 0.2.5:
$ venv_name=uv-0.2.x
$ pyenv uninstall --force ${venv_name}
$ pyenv virtualenv ${venv_name}
$ pyenv shell ${venv_name}
$ pip install uv
[details omitted]
$ uv --version
uv 0.2.5 (47db418ba 2024-05-28)
$ pyenv version
uv-0.2.x (set by PYENV_VERSION environment variable)
$ python -c 'import sys; print(f"{(sys.prefix==sys.base_prefix)=}")'
(sys.prefix==sys.base_prefix)=False
$ uv pip install --system --upgrade pip setuptools wheel --verbose
DEBUG Searching for Python interpreter in search path
DEBUG Found CPython 3.11.3 at `/Users/dpoznik/.pyenv/versions/uv-0.2.x/bin/python3` (search path)
DEBUG Ignoring Python interpreter at `/Users/dpoznik/.pyenv/versions/uv-0.2.x/bin/python3`: system interpreter required
DEBUG Found CPython 3.11.3 at `/Users/dpoznik/.pyenv/versions/uv-0.2.x/bin/python` (search path)
DEBUG Ignoring Python interpreter at `/Users/dpoznik/.pyenv/versions/uv-0.2.x/bin/python`: system interpreter required
DEBUG Found CPython 3.11.3 at `/Users/dpoznik/.pyenv/shims/python3` (search path)
DEBUG Ignoring Python interpreter at `/Users/dpoznik/.pyenv/versions/uv-0.2.x/bin/python3`: system interpreter required
DEBUG Found CPython 3.11.3 at `/Users/dpoznik/.pyenv/shims/python` (search path)
DEBUG Ignoring Python interpreter at `/Users/dpoznik/.pyenv/versions/uv-0.2.x/bin/python`: system interpreter required
DEBUG Found CPython 3.12.3 at `/usr/local/bin/python3` (search path)
DEBUG Using Python 3.12.3 environment at /usr/local/opt/python@3.12/bin/python3.12
error: The interpreter at /usr/local/opt/python@3.12/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.12 is externally managed, and indicates the following:
[additional details omitted]
$ uv pip install --python=$(which python) --upgrade pip setuptools wheel
Resolved 3 packages in 562ms
Uninstalled 2 packages in 654ms
Installed 3 packages in 29ms
- pip==22.3.1
+ pip==24.0
- setuptools==65.5.0
+ setuptools==70.0.0
+ wheel==0.43.0
$ python -m uv pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel
Resolved 3 packages in 1.08s
Audited 3 packages in 0.22ms
$ pyenv shell --unsetThanks for your help with this issue and for developing this wonderful tool!