Does not parse distribution information when a package is installed with python setup.py develop (--user)

[cdiener]

Problem description

Running the depinfo command line gives bogus output for "~=" requirements.

Code Sample

Create a minimal, complete, verifiable example.

depinfo "cobra"

Platform Information
--------------------
Linux   5.18.0-1-amd64-x86_64
CPython                3.10.5

Dependency Information
----------------------
appdirs~            missing <---
black                22.3.0
bumpversion         missing
cobra                0.25.0
depinfo~            missing
diskcache~          missing
future               0.18.2
httpx~              missing
importlib-resources   5.6.0
isort               missing
numpy~              missing
optlang~            missing
pandas~             missing
pydantic~           missing
python-libsbml~     missing
rich                 12.2.0
ruamel.yaml~        missing
scipy                 1.8.1
swiglpk               5.0.5
tox                 missing

Build Tools Information
-----------------------
pip        22.1.2
setuptools 62.3.2
wheel      0.37.1

COBRAPY was installed with python3 setup.py develop --user, not sure if that has something to do with it.

Context

Details

Platform Information
--------------------
Linux   5.18.0-1-amd64-x86_64
CPython                3.10.5

Dependency Information
----------------------
black               22.3.0
depinfo              2.1.1
importlib-metadata missing
isort              missing
rich                12.2.0
tox                missing

Build Tools Information
-----------------------
pip        22.1.2
setuptools 62.3.2
wheel      0.37.1

[Midnighter]

Hi @cdiener,
At the moment I cannot reproduce this. I must admit that I haven't used a --user installation in a very long time. I normally still use a virtualenv and then install with pip install -e . for development.

[Midnighter]

Hmm, actually now I was able to reproduce it. I'm not sure it's worth fixing. I don't see any official guide still suggesting --user installations. Do you have a particular reason for that?

[cdiener]

Mostly just because pip -e does not allow user installations anymore. Though I would have expected the package to be agnostic of how the dependencies were installed. Might be good to mention that only certain installation paths are supported. I'll try with pipenv.

[Midnighter]

I mean, why employ --user at all, rather than installing in a virtualenv?

[cdiener]

Just preference I guess. Though as far as I know pip defaults to installating with --user if the system path isn't writable. So it's not that uncommon I would say. Or did you mean in particular the develop:user combination?

[Midnighter]

Alright, I'll keep it on my radar. When creating

from importlib.metadata import distribution

cobra = distribution("cobra")
cobra.requires

looks very different than when installing the package with pip (for reasons unknown to me). In particular, when calling distribution recursively on those requirements it seems unable to parse that format which seems like an oversight, really.

[cdiener]

Yeah, if is due to installing with python setup.py develop it's probably not worth fixing as long as it works with any pip/hatch/poetry-installed packages.

[cdiener]

Okay, I can confirm it works in a virtualenv even with pip install -e. Feel free to close it.

[Midnighter]

Alright, I'll leave it open in case anyone randomly comes by and cares about it but I won't fix it myself for now.