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pythonpython-3.xubuntu

Python pip error "externally managed environment" after upgrading to Ubuntu 23.04


I'm running Ubuntu Server and upgraded it from 22.10 to 23.04. After the installation finished, I tried running one of my python scripts and one of my modules went missing. I tried to reinstall it with pip3 install playsound but I get this error:

error: externally-managed-environment

× This environment is externally managed
╰─> To install Python packages system-wide, try apt install
    python3-xyz, where xyz is the package you are trying to
    install.

    If you wish to install a non-Debian-packaged Python package,
    create a virtual environment using python3 -m venv path/to/venv.
    Then use path/to/venv/bin/python and path/to/venv/bin/pip. Make
    sure you have python3-full installed.

    If you wish to install a non-Debian packaged Python application,
    it may be easiest to use pipx install xyz, which will manage a
    virtual environment for you. Make sure you have pipx installed.

    See /usr/share/doc/python3.11/README.venv for more information.

note: If you believe this is a mistake, please contact your Python installation or OS distribution provider. You can override this, at the risk of breaking your Python installation or OS, by passing --break-system-packages.
hint: See PEP 668 for the detailed specification.

As the error says, I tried to install playsound with sudo apt install python3-playsound but it's not available through apt.

I also tried python3 -m pip install playsound and that gives the same error. I don't really know what else to do because I have never needed to mess with pip like this before.

Any thoughts/ideas appreciated!


Solution

  • Figured it out, just needed to activate the virtual environment I made.