Cannot install in custom directory

[davidedelvento]

In py.test v2.7.0 the following worked:

pip install pytest --install-option="--prefix=/path/to/my/dir"

In current 2.8.5 the option is silently ignored, and it tries to install in /path/to/my/python/install/lib/python2.7/site-packages/ (it may succeed or fail depending on the permissions)

[davidedelvento]

This may be related to pypa/pip#3252 (I'm running pip v1.5.6 from python v2.7.7) but the current workaround of using --target instead does not work since py.test needs to install scripts, beside pure python modules.

[nicoddemus]

Sorry but I think this is clearly a pip issue, so I'm closing this, but feel free to reopen if you disagree. 😄

[davidedelvento]

Yes, it is a pip issue, which it affects everything up to the latest release.
The fix has been merged, however it is not clear when it will be available for install. Until then, pytest is not usable for me. As a workaround, I could use pip's --target option, but that installs only stuff that would be installed into lib/python2.7/site-packages/, which clearly is not enough for pytest.

Can you confirm that in the current version only bin/py.test and bin/py.test-2.8 needs to be installed outside of lib/python2.7/site-packages/

[nicoddemus]

I think if the directory for your --target option is on PYTHONPATH, python -m pytest should work.