pip install --upgrade pip breaks pip, still

[jmdugan]

Environment

• pip version: 10
• Python version: 2.7.12
• OS: Ubuntu 16.04

Description

I ran "pip install --upgrade pip"

now pip breaks, every time:

[J]~/bin >pip --version
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/bin/pip", line 9, in
from pip import main
ImportError: cannot import name main

I tried "sudo apt remove python-pip" and a full autoremove, and re-installed pip, and it's still broken

Another ticket, from April 16 is now closed, relates to the same error message
#5240

How do we downgrade or fix this?

Expected behavior

How to Reproduce

1. Get package from '...'
2. Then run '...'
3. An error occurs.

Output

Paste the output of the steps above, including the commands themselves and
pip's output/traceback etc.

[jmdugan]

How to Reproduce:

sudo apt install python-pip

pip install --upgrade pip

pip --version

[pradyunsg]

Hey @jmdugan!

Do the instructions in #5221 (comment) help?

[jmdugan]

@pradyunsg thank you, the same output:

[J]/bin >hash -r pip
[J]/bin >pip -version
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/bin/pip", line 9, in
from pip import main
ImportError: cannot import name main
[J]/bin >hash -d pip
[J]/bin >pip -version
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/bin/pip", line 9, in
from pip import main
ImportError: cannot import name main
[J]~/bin >pip install --upgrade --user pip
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/bin/pip", line 9, in
from pip import main
ImportError: cannot import name main

also tried

sudo apt purge python-pip

then, reinstall, and it's still gives:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/bin/pip", line 9, in
from pip import main
ImportError: cannot import name main

[RonnyPfannschmidt]

it seems the pip you installed in a unsupported manner (as you overwrote the system managed one) is in a location thats different from the system one, thus it keeps overriding, please check your dist and site packages folder for git installs matching the undesired ones that break your pip binary

[benoit-pierre]

You probably don't have the directory where the new pip is installed in your PATH. I think one of Ubuntu/Debian patches to pip is to install to /usr/local per default (when run as root, and without --user). Do you have a pip in /usr/local/bin?

[benoit-pierre]

Scratch that, the patch was about installing to /usr/local when run as root (of course). Did you use sudo for the pip install --upgrade pip command too?

[gearcapitan]

i have the same problem!! help...

[xavfernandez]

Closed in favor of #5599

[lock]

This thread has been automatically locked since there has not been any recent activity after it was closed. Please open a new issue for related bugs.