# Pkgs wants to install python37 (thought default was python38)



## jensenet (Jun 15, 2021)

I tried to upgrade python 37->38 using the UPDATING info. However, every time I try to do a pkg upgrade it wants to reinstall python37. I've tried to portupgrade everything that relies on python37 and still it tries to install packages that rely on 37. Is this expected behavior? Are we kind of in-between 37 and 38 w/ packages (requires both), or is there something wrong with my system? It seems all of my FreeBSD boxes are like this. I try to use packages unless there's vulnerabilities or such to use ports. Thanks.


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## Tieks (Jun 16, 2021)

If a package requires py37 it will install that. We are indeed somewhat in between two Python versions (in fact we always are, we just got rid of Python2). The quarterly package release lags somewhat behind the port releases, as far as I can tell the ports tree switched to py38 by now. The packages will follow, until then you will see both py37 and py38. Command `pkg autoremove` may be useful.
Please note that using both ports and packages is can lead to hard-to-trace errors.


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## jensenet (Jun 16, 2021)

Thanks. Yes, using both ports and packages is a mixed bag. Now that I know I cannot be exclusively on just py38 I won't worry about it. Thanks again.


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## SirDice (Jun 16, 2021)

Don't mix the _latest_ ports tree with _quarterly_ packages. That'll just end up in a giant mess. Either use the _quarterly_ ports branches or switch your packages to _latest_. Make sure these two actually line up.

Best option, if you really need custom options with some ports, build your own repository. That's a lot easier than you might think. Especially useful if you have to maintain a couple of servers.


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## grahamperrin@ (Jun 19, 2021)

Comparing the numbers <https://www.freshports.org/lang/python37/#requiredforRun> <https://www.freshports.org/lang/python38/#requiredforRun> is potentially alarming but in reality, I have only two packages that require python37:

apache-openoffice-devel, which I rarely touch (I could delete it and not miss it)
sssd, which might be useful if I could bind my FreeBSD to Active Directory however when I last tried, I couldn't …


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