Porting an application and a module in one package¶

Use this section if your package contains both a Python module, that is being imported by third-party projects, and also contains an application—an executable that doesn’t interact with Python code (it doesn’t even have to be programmed in Python).

If this doesn’t fit your package, look into other sections.

Table of Contents

Porting the specfile to Python 3
Modifications
Have you broken third-party packages?
Ported RPM spec file
Diff of the changes

Porting the specfile to Python 3 ¶

Because the software you’re packaging is going to be imported by third-party projects, it is crucial to think about what Python versions your package will support.

If you switch your package to use only Python 3, suddenly projects running on Python 2 will no longer be able to import your modules. And of course, if you continue using Python 2 only, new Python 3 projects won’t get to use your software either.

For these reasons, the Fedora Packaging Guidelines for Python advise to split your package into two subpackages, one for each major Python version.

In contrast to the Python module, however, the bundled application does not interact with Python code, and is therefore Python version agnostic. For that reason, we need only to include it in one of the subpackages, not both. And when the version does not matter, the guidelines compel us to install the version for Python 3, therefore we will include it in the Python 3 subpackage.

Let’s take an example spec file and port it to illustrate the process. We start with a spec file for a Python tool packaged for Python version 2:

%global srcname example

Name:           python-%{srcname}
Version:        1.2.3
Release:        1%{?dist}
Summary:        An example Python tool

License:        MIT
URL:            https://pypi.org/project/%{srcname}
Source0:        https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/source/e/%{srcname}/%{srcname}-%{version}.tar.gz

BuildArch:      noarch
BuildRequires:  python-devel
Requires: python-some-module
Requires: python2-other-module

%description
A Python tool which provides a convenient example.


%prep
%autosetup -n %{srcname}-%{version}


%build
%{__python} setup.py build


%install
%{__python} setup.py install --skip-build --root $RPM_BUILD_ROOT


%check
%{__python} setup.py test


%files
%license COPYING
%doc README
%{python_sitelib}/*
%{_bindir}/sample-exec


%changelog
...

Modifications ¶

First it is recommended to update the software you are packaging to its newest upstream version. If it already is at the latest version, increment the release number. Don’t forget to add a %changelog entry as well.

Note

In this document you will encounter lot of RPM macros. You can look up many of the Python macros in the Python packaging guidelines (click the Expand button on the right side).

Creating subpackages ¶

Each subpackage you create will need to have its own name, summary and description. If you haven’t already, it is thus advised to declare macros for common values at the top of the specfile:

%global srcname example

Now we can use these to create the subpackages. The following should be placed beneath the %description section of the base package:

%package -n python2-%{srcname}
Summary:  %{summary}
Requires: python-some-module
Requires: python2-other-module
%{?python_provide:%python_provide python2-%{srcname}}

%description -n python2-%{srcname}
A Python tool which provides a convenient example.


%package -n python3-%{srcname}
Summary:  %{summary}
Requires: python3-some-module
Requires: python3-other-module
%{?python_provide:%python_provide python3-%{srcname}}

%description -n python3-%{srcname}
A Python tool which provides a convenient example.

First, using the %package macro you start defining a new subpackage, specifying its full name as python2-%{srcname}, which in this case will become python2-example. Next we provide the summary which we defined earlier.

BuildRequires: tags from the original spec file will remain where they are—declared in the definition of the base package at the top of the spec file. However, the runtime requirements—the ones listed using the Requires: tag—will be different for the two subpackages, so they have to be moved here to the definition of each subpackage.

While you can cut and paste all the Requires: tags directly from the base package to the python2- subpackage, remember that for the python3- subpackage you need to find Python 3 versions of each of the runtime dependencies.

Note

You can see that the naming of Python 2 packages isn’t uniform: some follow the current convention of using the python2- prefix, older ones use only the python- prefix, and the oldest might be without a prefix at all.

In many cases the Python 2 package can be found under both the python2- and python- prefixes, one of them being virtually provided by the Provides: tag. Whenever possible, use the version with the python2- prefix.

%python_provide ¶

Now that we’re splitting the package python-example into python2-example and python3-example, we need to define what will happen when the user tries to install the unversioned name python-example.

At the time of this writing, the packaging guidelines say that the default version should be the one for Python 2. However, it is expected to change to Python 3 some time in the future. To avoid having to adjust all Python packages in Fedora when that time comes, the %python_provide macro was devised:

%{?python_provide:%python_provide python2-%{srcname}}
and
%{?python_provide:%python_provide python3-%{srcname}}

This is a line you should include in each of your subpackages and it works thus: First the part ?python_provide: checks whether the macro exists and if not, the entire line is ignored. After that we actually use the %python_provide macro and give it one argument—the name of the given subpackage.

The macro will then check whether this Python version is default or not—if not, the line is again ignored. However, if indeed this is the currently default Python version, the macro is replaced with a virtual provides tag: Provides: python-%{srcname}. This will tell the packaging system (dnf, yum, …) to install this subpackage when user searches for python-example.

%description ¶

Each subpackage also needs to contain its own description. However, unlike the Summary: and Requires: tags, which are automatically applied to the subpackage declared above them, the %description macro needs to be told to which subpackage it belongs. You can do that by appending the same name as you did with the %package macro itself.

%description -n python3-%{srcname}
A Python tool which provides a convenient example.

BuildRequires and Requires ¶

Now that you’re building subpackages for both Python 2 and Python 3, you need to adjust the BuildRequires: by adding Python 3 versions of all the existing build dependencies. Starting with python-devel: Use its new version-specific name python2-devel and add it’s Python 3 equivalent python3-devel.

As described above, Requires: tags are a bit more complicated. You should move the current set of Requires: underneath the definition of the Python 2 subpackage, and for the Python 3 subpackage, you need to find Python 3 alternatives for all the current Python 2 runtime requirements that are specified with the Requires: tags.

As we will be including the executable (application) only in the Python 3 subpackage, you may be also able to get rid of some runtime dependencies (listed using the Requires: tags) in the Python 2 subpackage that were previously used only by the executable and are therefore no longer needed in that subpackage. However, figuring out what runtime dependencies are no longer needed is a problematic task, therefore if you are unsure of which dependencies can be omitted, you can skip this task.

%build ¶

Currently your package is building the software for Python 2, what we need to do is also add building for Python 3. While we’re modifying the spec file, however, it’s a good idea to also update it to new standards—in this case a new macro.

In the ideal case, you’ll find the build done with either the %py2_build macro or its older version %py_build, which you then should exchange for the former. In either case, you can just add the macro %py3_build afterwards, and this part is done. Note that to use these macros, you need to have python2-devel and/or python3-devel listed among BuildRequires, but most Python packages already do.

%build
%py2_build
%py3_build

In many cases, however, you will find a custom build command prefixed by the %{__python} or %{__python2} macros, or in some cases just prefixed by the python interpreter invoked without a macro at all, e.g.:

%{__python} custombuild.py --many-flags
    or
python custombuild.py --many-flags

In these cases first try substituting the whole build command by the new pair of smart macros %py2_build and %py3_build, which should in many cases correctly figure out what ought to be done automatically. Otherwise, duplicate the entire command and change the invocation of the python interpreter to the %{__python2} macro in one of them and to the %{__python3} in the other.

%build
%{__python2} custombuild.py --many-flags
%{__python3} custombuild.py --many-flags

Rarely, you might encounter some non-Python build script such as a Makefile. In these instances you have to adjust the script on your own, consult the documentation for the specific build method.

%install ¶

First, in the same manner as in the preceding %build section, it is advisable to upgrade the current Python 2 install command to use the new %py2_install macro, however, if that doesn’t work for you, you can stick with the current install command, just make sure it’s invoked by the %{__python2} macro.

After the Python 2 install macro is run, it is likely going to install the Python 2 version of the application. As we want to package only the Python 3 version of the application, we have to remove the Python 2 executable(s) that were installed into /usr/bin/ so that the Python 3 version(s) can take their place afterwards.

%install
%py2_install
rm %{buildroot}%{_bindir}/*

Note

It is not enough just to run the Python install macros in the right order (first 2 then 3), because the Python installation mechanism (distutils) can sometimes refuse to override files in /usr/bin. Even if it works on your machine™, be aware that this might happen on other build systems like Koji or Copr. The issue is also very hard to preduce. That is why it is highly recommended to delete the executables between installs as shown here.

After that, add the corresponding Python 3 install command, which will be either the custom command prefixed by %{__python3} or the new %py3_install macro.

%py3_install

Again as in the %build section, in the rare cases where you encounter a non-Python install script such as a Makefile, consult documentation for the specific install method and make adjustments on your own.

%check ¶

Unlike in previous sections, there’s no special macro for the %check section, and so here if the original spec file uses any sort of a python script for testing, just make sure that the tests are invoked once using the %{__python2} macro and a second time using the %{__python3} macro.

%check
%{__python2} setup.py test
%{__python3} setup.py test

Chances are that you will encounter a custom Python command that runs the tests, such as nosetests or py.test. In that case find out what is the name of the executable for Python 3 and run it after the Python 2 command.

If the command for Python 2 can be invoked explicitly for Python 2, e.g. as py.test-2 instead of just py.test, use it. Note that to use py.test commands, you need to have python2-pytest and/or python3-pytest listed among BuildRequires.

%check
py.test-2
py.test-3

or

nosetests-%{python2_version}
nosetests-%{python3_version}

As you can see on the example of the nosetests, not all packages follow the proper naming conventions for executables. To list what executables a package contains, you can use:

$ dnf repoquery -l python3-nose | grep /usr/bin/
/usr/bin/nosetests-3.4

%files ¶

The presence or absence of a %files section is the deciding factor in whether a given package or subpackage gets built or not. Therefore, to assure that our base package doesn’t get built (as all the content has been moved to the two subpackages), make sure there is no %files section without a subpackage name.

You can reuse the current %files section for the Python 2 submodule by giving it the appropriate package name. You can keep it almost the same as before, just make sure that, where appropriate, it uses the new macros %{python2_sitelib}, %{python2_sitearch}, %{python2_version} or perhaps %{python2_version_nodots}.

However, be sure not to include the executable. The Fedora Packaging Guidelines for Python state that if you are packaging only one executable, it should be the one for Python 3.

%files -n python2-%{srcname}
%license COPYING
%doc README
%{python2_sitelib}/*

We’ll also add a %files section for the Python 3 subpackage. You can copy the previous files section, but make sure you change all the Python 2 macros into Python 3 versions. And in this case, do not forget to include the executable as well.

%files -n python3-%{srcname}
%license COPYING
%doc README
%{python3_sitelib}/*
%{_bindir}/sample-exec

Are shebangs dragging you down (to Python 2)?¶

A shebang is an indicator on the first line of an executable script that indicates in what interpreter is the script supposed to be launched, examples include python, bash and perl. When software gets ported to Python 3, the lone shebang often remains forgotten and keeps pointing to Python 2. In most cases this is handled automatically: the setup.py script (usually run through the %py3_build and %py3_install RPM macros) adjusts shebangs for you. However, sometimes it’s up to you to handle the situation.

RPM has very good capabilities of automatically finding dependencies, and one of the ways it accomplishes that is by looking at the shebangs of all the files in the package. Therefore it is important to check if the shebangs are not dragging in a runtime dependency on Python 2.

As the porting of the spec file is nearly finished, build it and then run the following analysis on the resulting Python 3 RPM file:

$ rpm -qp --requires path/to/an.rpm | grep -E '/usr/bin/(python|env)'

This will list all the Python executables your RPM package depends on as well as the /usr/bin/env executable which usually invokes python. The use of env is dangerous: applications should be using the safe system version of Python and not trust whatever version env might try to substitute. If you find that an RPM package for Python 3 depends on Python 2 or /usr/bin/env you need to fix it.

Fixing shebangs ¶

First find out what shebangs are used in your package by unpacking the sources for the project, cd-ing into the unpacked directory and trying the following command(s):

$ # Searches for all shebangs among the sources
$ grep -r '^#!/' .

$ # Searches only Python shebangs
$ grep -rE '^#!/usr/bin/(python|env python)' .

You will usually find one of these two shebangs:

#!/usr/bin/python
#!/usr/bin/env python

It is advisable to change both of these to #!/usr/bin/python3. /usr/bin/env can be useful for scripts, but applications should link to the system version of Python outright.

To change the shebangs in the files you can use one (or a combination) of the following commands, which you should place at the end of the %prep section. They will change the shebangs to point to the Python 3 interpreter stored in the ${__python3} macro.

$ # Change shebang in individual files
$ sed -i '1s=^#!/usr/bin/\(python\|env python\)[0-9.]*=#!%{__python3}=' path/to/file1 file2 file3 ...

$ # Change shebang in all relevant files in this directory and all subdirectories
$ # See `man find` for how the `-exec command {} +` syntax works
$ find -type f -exec sed -i '1s=^#!/usr/bin/\(python\|env python\)[23]\?=#!%{__python3}=' {} +

$ # Change shebang in all relevant executable files in this directory and all subdirectories
$ find -type f -executable -exec sed -i '1s=^#!/usr/bin/\(python\|env python\)[23]\?=#!%{__python3}=' {} +

You don’t have to worry about accidentally corrupting other files as these scripts will only change a file if the beginning of its first line exactly matches one of the two aforementioned shebangs.

Have you broken third-party packages?¶

Congratulations, you have now successfully ported your package to be available for both Python 2 and Python 3! However, in doing so, many of the third-party packages that depend on the application bundled in this package may have just been broken.

The best practice when depending on executables is to depend on them explicitly, i.e. use Requires: /usr/bin/sample-exec. That way no matter to which package the executable moves, your dependency gets loaded fine. However, many (if not most) packages are written with dependencies on the package itself (Requires: python-example) in which case they will now be depending on the python2-example subpackage, because it has the currently active %python_provide macro (see %python_provide). However, the executable has moved to the python3-example subpackage, and thus the dependency has been broken.

First, see what (if any) packages depend on this package itself:

$ dnf repoquery --whatrequires python-example

Now you ought to go through these packages one by one and try to figure out if they need to depend on the application from your package, or on the Python module, or possibly, both.

If you do think they want to depend on your application, and therefore the dependency may have just been broken, you are advised to open a BugZilla report and request that they change (or add) the dependency to the executable itself (Requires: /usr/bin/sample-exec). If you can provide a patch as well, your requests will be all the faster resolved.

If you are unsure whether the package needs to depend on your application, open a BugZilla report for the package and ask the maintainer(s) to answer the question themselves.

Ported RPM spec file ¶

Here you can peruse the entire ported spec file:

%global srcname example

Name:           python-%{srcname}
Version:        1.2.3
Release:        2%{?dist}
Summary:        An example Python tool

License:        MIT
URL:            https://pypi.org/project/%{srcname}
Source0:        https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/source/e/%{srcname}/%{srcname}-%{version}.tar.gz

BuildArch:      noarch
BuildRequires:  python2-devel
BuildRequires:  python3-devel

%description
A Python tool which provides a convenient example.


%package -n python2-%{srcname}
Summary:        %{summary}
Requires:       python-some-module
Requires:       python2-other-module
%{?python_provide:%python_provide python2-%{srcname}}

%description -n python2-%{srcname}
A Python tool which provides a convenient example.


%package -n python3-%{srcname}
Summary:        %{summary}
Requires:       python3-some-module
Requires:       python3-other-module
%{?python_provide:%python_provide python3-%{srcname}}

%description -n python3-%{srcname}
A Python tool which provides a convenient example.


%prep
%autosetup -n %{srcname}-%{version}


%build
%py2_build
%py3_build


%install
%py2_install

# The Python 2 installation process will likely try to install its own version
# of the application. As we only want to package the Python 3 version of the
# application, we delete the Python 2 executable(s) so that the Python 3
# version(s) can take their place afterwards.
rm %{buildroot}%{_bindir}/*

%py3_install


%check
%{__python2} setup.py test
%{__python3} setup.py test


# Note that there is no %%files section for the unversioned Python package
# if we are building for several Python runtimes
%files -n python2-%{srcname}
%license COPYING
%doc README
%{python2_sitelib}/*

%files -n python3-%{srcname}
%license COPYING
%doc README
%{python3_sitelib}/*
%{_bindir}/sample-exec


%changelog
...

Diff of the changes ¶

And here you can see the diff of the original and the ported spec files to fully observe all the changes that were made:

--- /home/docs/checkouts/readthedocs.org/user_builds/python-rpm-porting/checkouts/latest/specs/tool.spec.orig
+++ /home/docs/checkouts/readthedocs.org/user_builds/python-rpm-porting/checkouts/latest/specs/application-module.spec
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 Name:           python-%{srcname}
 Version:        1.2.3
-Release:        1%{?dist}
+Release:        2%{?dist}
 Summary:        An example Python tool
 
 License:        MIT
@@ -10,11 +10,30 @@
 Source0:        https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/source/e/%{srcname}/%{srcname}-%{version}.tar.gz
 
 BuildArch:      noarch
-BuildRequires:  python-devel
-Requires: python-some-module
-Requires: python2-other-module
+BuildRequires:  python2-devel
+BuildRequires:  python3-devel
 
 %description
+A Python tool which provides a convenient example.
+
+
+%package -n python2-%{srcname}
+Summary:        %{summary}
+Requires:       python-some-module
+Requires:       python2-other-module
+%{?python_provide:%python_provide python2-%{srcname}}
+
+%description -n python2-%{srcname}
+A Python tool which provides a convenient example.
+
+
+%package -n python3-%{srcname}
+Summary:        %{summary}
+Requires:       python3-some-module
+Requires:       python3-other-module
+%{?python_provide:%python_provide python3-%{srcname}}
+
+%description -n python3-%{srcname}
 A Python tool which provides a convenient example.
 
 
@@ -23,21 +42,38 @@
 
 
 %build
-%{__python} setup.py build
+%py2_build
+%py3_build
 
 
 %install
-%{__python} setup.py install --skip-build --root $RPM_BUILD_ROOT
+%py2_install
+
+# The Python 2 installation process will likely try to install its own version
+# of the application. As we only want to package the Python 3 version of the
+# application, we delete the Python 2 executable(s) so that the Python 3
+# version(s) can take their place afterwards.
+rm %{buildroot}%{_bindir}/*
+
+%py3_install
 
 
 %check
-%{__python} setup.py test
+%{__python2} setup.py test
+%{__python3} setup.py test
 
 
-%files
+# Note that there is no %%files section for the unversioned Python package
+# if we are building for several Python runtimes
+%files -n python2-%{srcname}
 %license COPYING
 %doc README
-%{python_sitelib}/*
+%{python2_sitelib}/*
+
+%files -n python3-%{srcname}
+%license COPYING
+%doc README
+%{python3_sitelib}/*
 %{_bindir}/sample-exec
 
 