pip points to wrong version of python

Question

How to make pip point to python 2 instead of python 3 (as it normally should be)?

I want to install a package that is compatible only with python 2 and I use the pip command but it installs the package for python 3.

[root@q~]# python -V
Python 2.7.5
[root@q~]# python3 -V
Python 3.4.9
[root@q~]# pip -V
pip 19.0.1 from /usr/lib/python3.4/site-packages/pip (python 3.4)
[root@q~]# pip3 -V
pip 19.0.1 from /usr/lib/python3.4/site-packages/pip (python 3.4)

[root@q~]# echo $PATH
/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/root/bin

[root@q~]# whereis python
python: /usr/bin/python2.7 /usr/bin/python /usr/bin/python3.4 /usr/bin/python3.4m /usr/bin/python3.4-config /usr/bin/python3.4m-config /usr/bin/python3.4m-x86_64-config /usr/lib/python2.7 /usr/lib/python3.4 /usr/lib64/python2.7 /usr/lib64/python3.4 /etc/python /usr/include/python2.7 /usr/include/python3.4m /opt/borg-env/bin/python /opt/borg-env/bin/python3.4 /usr/share/man/man1/python.1.gz
[root@q~]# whereis python3
python3: /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/python3.4 /usr/bin/python3.4m /usr/bin/python3.4-config /usr/bin/python3.4m-config /usr/bin/python3.4m-x86_64-config /usr/lib/python3.4 /usr/lib64/python3.4 /usr/include/python3.4m /opt/borg-env/bin/python3 /opt/borg-env/bin/python3.4 /usr/share/man/man1/python3.1.gz

[root@q~]# whereis pip
pip: /usr/bin/pip /usr/bin/pip3.4 /opt/borg-env/bin/pip /opt/borg-env/bin/pip3.4
[root@q~]# whereis pip3
pip3: /usr/bin/pip3 /usr/bin/pip3.4 /opt/borg-env/bin/pip3 /opt/borg-env/bin/pip3.4

Can you add the output of the following commands? `echo $PATH` `where python` `where python3` `where pip` `where pip3` — gkpln3, Nov 27 '19 at 08:22
Alternatively, use `python2 -m pip `. Though this may not work for your Python 2 version. — 9769953, Nov 27 '19 at 08:25
Does this answer your question? [How to change default install location for pip](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/24174821/how-to-change-default-install-location-for-pip) — RaphWork, Nov 27 '19 at 08:25
Yeah, was afraid so. Your Python 2 and Python 3 versions are rather old. — 9769953, Nov 27 '19 at 08:26
If you have found a package that only supports Python2, then it is probably abandoned, by the way — OneCricketeer, Nov 27 '19 at 08:28
Do you have a file called `/usr/bin/pip2.7` or `/usr/bin/pip2`? — gkpln3, Nov 27 '19 at 08:31
@00 pip and /usr/bin/pip is the same thing. both point to python3. — liberand, Nov 27 '19 at 08:32
Have you checked with your package manager? There may be a `python-pip` or `python2-pip` package that you can (re)install. — 9769953, Nov 27 '19 at 08:34

OneCricketeer · Answer 1 · 2019-11-27T08:40:59.737

0

Since you have Python < 2.7.9, then you must install Pip manually

Remove pip with sudo mv /usr/bin/pip /usr/bin/pip.BAK

Then

curl https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py -o get-pip.py
python get-pip.py

Depending on your OS, then using its package manager may also work

Note that Python2 is EOL by the end of the year, so you should find a different library or update it

edited Nov 27 '19 at 08:40

answered Nov 27 '19 at 08:35

OneCricketeer

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gkpln3 · Answer 2 · 2019-11-27T08:39:01.597

-1

Sounds like you do not have python-pip installed for python2.

Try running this:

curl https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py -o get-pip.py
python get-pip.py

Or this:

wget https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py
python get-pip.py

You can also try this if you are on debian:

sudo apt-get install python-pip

edited Nov 27 '19 at 08:39

answered Nov 27 '19 at 08:35

gkpln3

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pip points to wrong version of python

2 Answers2