"pip3 list --outdated" raises TypeError

[Paul Natsuo Kishimoto]

Observed:

$ pip3 list --outdated
Exception:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pip/basecommand.py", line 209, in main
    status = self.run(options, args)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pip/commands/list.py", line 118, in run
    self.run_outdated(options)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pip/commands/list.py", line 128, in run_outdated
    if latest_version > dist.parsed_version:
TypeError: unorderable types: Version() > SetuptoolsVersion()

Expected: a list of outdated packages is displayed.

This particular exception appears to be discussed upstream at:
https://github.com/pypa/pip/issues/3057

where an upstream dev says, quote, "I don't think there's anything we can reasonably do here, you're running a patched or unsupported version of pip. You should file a bug with whomever gave you your copy of pip and ask them to stop patching it."

$ lsb_release -rd && apt-cache policy python3-pip
Description: Ubuntu 16.04 LTS
Release: 16.04
python3-pip:
  Installed: 8.1.1-2
  Candidate: 8.1.1-2
  Version table:
 *** 8.1.1-2 500
        500 http://mirrors.mit.edu/ubuntu xenial/universe amd64 Packages
        500 http://mirrors.mit.edu/ubuntu xenial/universe i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

[Paul Natsuo Kishimoto (khaeru)]

A workaround is:

$ pip3 install --user --no-deps pip
Collecting pip
  Downloading pip-8.1.1-py2.py3-none-any.whl (1.2MB)
    100% |████████████████████████████████| 1.2MB 612kB/s
Installing collected packages: pip
Successfully installed pip-8.1.1

…(i.e. exactly the same version of pip) and ensure ~/.local/bin is in my $PATH.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Edwin Khoo (edwinksl)]

If you are using virtualenv, then forcing a reinstallation of pip is a workaround:

pip install -U --force-reinstall pip

[Paulo Marcel Coelho Aragão (marcelpaulo)]

The affected package should be python3-pip and not python-pip, since 'pip list --outdated' doesn't provoke the exception, but 'pip3 list --outdated' does.

[Kent Ross (mumbleskates)]

This is occurring for me with python3.6-dev==3.6.4-4 amd64 from bionic/main. Forcing a reinstall of the system's python3.6 pip package fixes it, but this is pretty lousy default behavior.

[Kent Ross (mumbleskates)]

I suppose I should clarify: the system pip package is python3-pip==9.0.1-2 amd64 from bionic/universe

[Ömer Fadıl USTA (omerusta)]

With latest pip this issue solved. On the other hand you have to patch makepip3.py file (which creates /usr/bin/pip3 )

[Ömer Fadıl USTA (omerusta)]

I mean that patch for python3-pip package packagers . If you upgrade pip with pip (with sudo ) you need to edit your /usr/bin/pip3 file with this :

#!/usr/bin/python3
# GENERATED BY DEBIAN

import sys

# Run the main entry point, similarly to how setuptools does it, but because
# we didn't install the actual entry point from setup.py, don't use the
# pkg_resources API.
from pip._internal import main as _main
if __name__ == '__main__':
    sys.exit(_main())

[Ubuntu Foundations Team Bug Bot (crichton)]

The attachment "patch for after updating pip via pip with sudo" seems to be a patch. If it isn't, please remove the "patch" flag from the attachment, remove the "patch" tag, and if you are a member of the ~ubuntu-reviewers, unsubscribe the team.

[This is an automated message performed by a Launchpad user owned by ~brian-murray, for any issues please contact him.]

[Laurent Bonnaud (laurent-bonnaud)]

The problem still exists in Ubuntu 19.04/disco with a slightly different error message:

$ pip3 list --outdated
Exception:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pip/_internal/cli/base_command.py", line 143, in main
    status = self.run(options, args)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pip/_internal/commands/list.py", line 138, in run
    packages = self.get_outdated(packages, options)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pip/_internal/commands/list.py", line 149, in get_outdated
    dist for dist in self.iter_packages_latest_infos(packages, options)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pip/_internal/commands/list.py", line 150, in <listcomp>
    if dist.latest_version > dist.parsed_version
TypeError: '>' not supported between instances of 'Version' and 'Version'

[Ari (ari-reads)]

@Laurent were you able to fix it? same issue in my 19.04 install.

[Rolf Leggewie (r0lf)]

another report of this in Debian (not yet merged): https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=912379

[Thomas Dreibholz (dreibh)]

The problem still exists in the current Ubuntu Bionic (October 24, 2019):

dreibh@kringsjaa:~$ pip3 list --outdated
DEPRECATION: The default format will switch to columns in the future. You can use --format=(legacy|columns) (or define a format=(legacy|columns) in your pip.conf under the [list] section) to disable this warning.
Exception:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pip/basecommand.py", line 215, in main
    status = self.run(options, args)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pip/commands/list.py", line 157, in run
    packages = self.get_outdated(packages, options)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pip/commands/list.py", line 168, in get_outdated
    dist for dist in self.iter_packages_latest_infos(packages, options)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pip/commands/list.py", line 169, in <listcomp>
    if dist.latest_version > dist.parsed_version
TypeError: '>' not supported between instances of 'Version' and 'Version'
dreibh@kringsjaa:~$ apt-show-versions | grep python3-pip
python3-pip:all/bionic-updates 9.0.1-2.3~ubuntu1.18.04.1 uptodate
dreibh@kringsjaa:~$ lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 18.04.3 LTS
Release: 18.04
Codename: bionic

Since finding outdated packages is security-relevant, I would consider this bug being security-relevant as well.

[wavesailor (wavesailor)]

Does anyone have a workaround for this issue until it gets resolved?

[wavesailor (wavesailor)]

I think I found a solution but not sure if it's the "right" thing to do so maybe experts can comment?

You need to modify the pip file: sudo vim /usr/bin/pip3

The original code is:

from pip import main
if __name__ == '__main__':
    sys.exit(main())

Need to change to:

from pip import __main__
if __name__ == '__main__':
    sys.exit(__main__._main())

Then run this: sudo pip3 install pip --upgrade

Then you can run:
sudo pip3 list --outdated

[Scott Kitterman (kitterman)]

The fix for this was included in 20.0.2-4 imported from Debian.

 python-pip | 20.0.2-5ubuntu1 | focal/universe | source
 python-pip | 20.0.2-5ubuntu1 | groovy/universe | source