Run subprocesses in isolated directory

changelog.d/1091.bugfix.md

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix installation issues when files in the working directory interfere with venv creation process.

src/pipx/shared_libs.py

@@ -43,7 +43,9 @@ def site_packages(self) -> Path:
     def create(self, verbose: bool = False) -> None:
         if not self.is_valid:
             with animate("creating shared libraries", not verbose):
-                create_process = run_subprocess([DEFAULT_PYTHON, "-m", "venv", "--clear", self.root])
+                create_process = run_subprocess(
+                    [DEFAULT_PYTHON, "-m", "venv", "--clear", self.root], run_dir=str(self.root)
+                )
             subprocess_post_check(create_process)
 
             # ignore installed packages to ensure no unexpected patches from the OS vendor

src/pipx/util.py

@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ def run_subprocess(
     log_cmd_str: Optional[str] = None,
     log_stdout: bool = True,
     log_stderr: bool = True,
+    run_dir: Optional[str] = None,
 ) -> "subprocess.CompletedProcess[str]":
     """Run arbitrary command as subprocess, capturing stderr and stout"""
     env = dict(os.environ)
@@ -166,6 +167,8 @@ def run_subprocess(
     if log_cmd_str is None:
         log_cmd_str = " ".join(str(c) for c in cmd)
     logger.info(f"running {log_cmd_str}")
+    if run_dir:
+        os.makedirs(run_dir, exist_ok=True)
     # windows cannot take Path objects, only strings
     cmd_str_list = [str(c) for c in cmd]
     # Make sure to call the binary using its real path. This matters especially on Windows when using the packaged app
@@ -176,6 +179,9 @@ def run_subprocess(
     # symlink in argv[0] so that it can locate the venv.
     if not os.path.islink(cmd_str_list[0]) and WINDOWS:
         cmd_str_list[0] = os.path.realpath(cmd_str_list[0])
+
+    # TODO: Switch to using `-P` / PYTHONSAFEPATH instead of running in
+    # separate directory in Python 3.11
     completed_process = subprocess.run(
         cmd_str_list,
         env=env,
@@ -184,6 +190,7 @@ def run_subprocess(
         encoding="utf-8",
         universal_newlines=True,
         check=False,
+        cwd=run_dir,
     )
 
     if capture_stdout and log_stdout:

src/pipx/venv.py

@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ def create_venv(self, venv_args: List[str], pip_args: List[str], override_shared
             cmd = [self.python, "-m", "venv"]
             if not override_shared:
                 cmd.append("--without-pip")
-            venv_process = run_subprocess(cmd + venv_args + [str(self.root)])
+            venv_process = run_subprocess(cmd + venv_args + [str(self.root)], run_dir=str(self.root))
         subprocess_post_check(venv_process)
 
         shared_libs.create(self.verbose)
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ def install_package(
             ]
             # no logging because any errors will be specially logged by
             #   subprocess_post_check_handle_pip_error()
-            pip_process = run_subprocess(cmd, log_stdout=False, log_stderr=False)
+            pip_process = run_subprocess(cmd, log_stdout=False, log_stderr=False, run_dir=str(self.root))
         subprocess_post_check_handle_pip_error(pip_process)
         if pip_process.returncode:
             raise PipxError(f"Error installing {full_package_description(package_name, package_or_url)}.")
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ def install_unmanaged_packages(self, requirements: List[str], pip_args: List[str
             ]
             # no logging because any errors will be specially logged by
             #   subprocess_post_check_handle_pip_error()
-            pip_process = run_subprocess(cmd, log_stdout=False, log_stderr=False)
+            pip_process = run_subprocess(cmd, log_stdout=False, log_stderr=False, run_dir=str(self.root))
         subprocess_post_check_handle_pip_error(pip_process)
         if pip_process.returncode:
             raise PipxError(f"Error installing {', '.join(requirements)}.")
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ def _run_pip(self, cmd: List[str]) -> "CompletedProcess[str]":
         cmd = [str(self.python_path), "-m", "pip"] + cmd
         if not self.verbose:
             cmd.append("-q")
-        return run_subprocess(cmd)
+        return run_subprocess(cmd, run_dir=str(self.root))
 
     def run_pip_get_exit_code(self, cmd: List[str]) -> ExitCode:
         cmd = [str(self.python_path), "-m", "pip"] + cmd

tests/test_install.py

@@ -337,3 +337,11 @@ def test_passed_python_and_force_flag_warning(pipx_temp_env, capsys):
     assert not run_pipx_cli(["install", "pycowsay", "--force"])
     captured = capsys.readouterr()
     assert "--python is ignored when --force is passed." not in captured.out
+
+
+def test_install_run_in_separate_directory(caplog, capsys, pipx_temp_env, monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
+    f = Path("argparse.py")
+    f.touch()
+
+    install_packages(capsys, pipx_temp_env, caplog, ["pycowsay"], ["pycowsay"])