pip (/easy_install)

Many tools in ROS use pip (or easy_install), which are popular package manager tools used with Python-based code. This page collects tips for customizing these tools.

Do not use easy_install

easy_install is no longer maintained and much less powerful and user-friendly than pip.

If you do use easy_install, always pass the -U option:

$ sudo easy_install -U ...

Getting pip

pip is available as python-pip with apt-get, but it is often useful to install the latest pip, which can be done using an older pip:

$ sudo pip install -U pip

Updating all pip-installed packages

Use recipes that you find on the internet, such as yolk:

http://pypi.python.org/pypi/yolk

Configuring easy_install to install locally

To configure easy_install to install software to your home directory (instead of a system-wide directory) create ~/.pydistutils.cfg and add the following content:

• [install]
  user=1

Then add ~/.local/bin to your PATH:

• export PATH=$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH