Command to run a command in a package virtualenv

[pawamoy]

How would this feature be useful?
It would be useful when one wants to play a bit with the internals/api of a package in a Python interpreter.

Describe the solution you'd like
Instead of creating a venv myself, and install for example aria2p and ipython inside it, I would like to use pipx directly. I already installed aria2p with pipx, injected ipython in its venv, and now I would like to run ipython in this venv.

Describe alternatives you've considered
Creating a venv myself, or manually activating the venv of the pipx package. We could also consider adding a shell command (to activate the venv) instead of another run command.

Do you think this is in the scope of pipx 🙂?
Thanks for the great project!

[itsayellow]

One solution is to use the --include-apps option when you inject ipython into your aria2p venv. Then whenever you execute ipython, it would use the one inside your aria2p venv.

Would this work for you?

[pawamoy]

Not really, I also have ipython installed through pipx 😅

[itsayellow]

So is the problem that you don't want aria2p installed with your normal ipython venv? Because a workaround would just be to pile everything you want into the same venv.

[pawamoy]

So is the problem that you don't want aria2p installed with your normal ipython venv

Hmmm, this could be a solution, yes. But I find it a bit redundant to install aria2p both in its own venv and in the ipython venv. I mean, more redundant than installing ipython both in its own venv and in the aria2p venv, because what matters here is the aria2p version I'm using, not the ipython one: I want to play with aria2p's api, the same api that is used when I call directly the script aria2p. Doing the opposite (what you suggest) would mean I have to remember to upgrade the injected aria2p in the ipython venv when I upgrade the main aria2p install, which, IIUC is not possible yet (#79).

[itsayellow]

Upgrading! 👍 Yes that's a challenge for injected packages. Good point.

[pawamoy]

Hi @gaborbernat, is there a commit or PR you could reference?

[pawamoy]

Ah, I guess it's #563 🙂
Well, it kinda provides a workaround for my use-case, but being able to run commands inside venvs would still be useful I think.

[pawamoy]

To re-state the original use-case:

• I have many tools that can be used as libraries, each installed in its own pipx venv
• if I want to play with their API, I can inject ipython into each of these venvs
• but then it's hard to call these injected ipython
• the workaround suggested by @itsayellow is too install ipython in its own venv, and inject all the tools there as well
• with not too many tools it's probably OK, but with more, that makes a polluted ipython venv, with risks of dep conflicts
• also, while I can control the exact versions of tools in their own venvs, I cannot control their versions when they are injected in the ipython venv

I suppose there are other use cases where one would want to run an installed script in a given pipx venv, though I don't have any in mind.

Anyway that was just to provide feedback, feel free to keep this issue closed.

[gaborbernat]

Sorry, didn't write, but IMHO this is out of scope for the project. Pipx environments are not meant to be changed by you, they are implementation details; as such, I'm -1 on allowing people to run custom commands in it. The only way these apps are meant to be used is through the console entry point we expose into your .local/bin. If you really must, you can find and open the python interpreter yourself, but because is discouraged, I would rather not make it easy.

[pawamoy]

I see, thank you for the explanation! 👍