Can't install on windows

[ggonmar]

When attempting to install calibre using the recommended method, pip install calibreweb as per the documentation, I get the following error:

Using cached MarkupSafe-2.1.3-cp311-cp311-win_amd64.whl (17 kB)
Using cached Pygments-2.16.1-py3-none-any.whl (1.2 MB)
Building wheels for collected packages: netifaces
  Building wheel for netifaces (pyproject.toml) ... error
  error: subprocess-exited-with-error

  × Building wheel for netifaces (pyproject.toml) did not run successfully.
  │ exit code: 1
  ╰─> [19 lines of output]
      C:\Users\ggonm\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-build-env-5vhcds4f\overlay\Lib\site-packages\setuptools\config\setupcfg.py:293: _DeprecatedConfig: Deprecated config in `setup.cfg`
      !!

              ********************************************************************************
              The license_file parameter is deprecated, use license_files instead.

              By 2023-Oct-30, you need to update your project and remove deprecated calls
              or your builds will no longer be supported.

              See https://setuptools.pypa.io/en/latest/userguide/declarative_config.html for details.
              ********************************************************************************

      !!
        parsed = self.parsers.get(option_name, lambda x: x)(value)
      running bdist_wheel
      running build
      running build_ext
      building 'netifaces' extension
      error: Microsoft Visual C++ 14.0 or greater is required. Get it with "Microsoft C++ Build Tools": https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/visual-cpp-build-tools/
      [end of output]

  note: This error originates from a subprocess, and is likely not a problem with pip.
  ERROR: Failed building wheel for netifaces
Failed to build netifaces
ERROR: Could not build wheels for netifaces, which is required to install pyproject.toml-based projects

Python version I am using is 3.11, and I am on windows 10.

[OzzieIsaacs]

Please try this one: #2759
(Temporary downgrade of python version)

[ggonmar]

Python 3.9 did the trick indeed - working for now! thanks!

Should I close this ticket as there is a workaround?

[OzzieIsaacs]

Please leave it open, I will write a faq entry and maybe something else

[9ao9ai9ar]

I was able to install Calibre-Web in a Python 3.11.5 conda environment by using the Visual Studio Installer to install

1. MSVC v143 - VS 2022 C++ x64/x86 build tools (Latest)
2. Windows 10 SDK (10.0.20348.0)

[bengalih]

I concur for proper install on Windows 11 (and likely Win10 and possibly Win Server versions):
* In my case I'm on Win 11 with python 3.11.4 installed.

I download the Build Tools with the VS Installer from here:
https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/visual-cpp-build-tools/

During the setup, click the "Individual Components" and install the two components listed in @9ao9ai9ar comments above.
In on Windows 11 you can install the latest Win 11 SDK shown instead.

Then the pip install calibreweb should function.

Make sure you are installing into a venv (virtual environment) as suggested. It is possible not to do this, but much less headache if you do. If you still have issues you might want to try to wipe out/recreate your venv and then clear the pip cache with pip cache purge before reinstall.

For users not as familiar with a venv refer to the manual instructions here:
https://github.com/janeczku/calibre-web/wiki/Manual-installation
(don't rely on these verbatim for Windows)

and the python venv instructions here:
https://packaging.python.org/en/latest/guides/installing-using-pip-and-virtual-environments/

If you install the MS packages as listed and create the venv you shouldn't have any issue.

[djcampbell]

@9ao9ai9ar Life saver!