Re: Python 3.13 and massive USE flag changes.

On 6/6/26 3:26 AM, Michael wrote:
> On Saturday, 6 June 2026 08:50:26 British Summer Time Dale wrote:
>> Howdy,
>>
>> I'm trying to do my weekend updates.  At first, I got one or two
>> packages that wanted me to put in the package.use file to use Python
>> 3.13, some only want one to be used so I had to also disable other
>> python versions.  When I did the first one and ran emerge -auDN world
>> again, it spit out a slightly longer list to add.  I added those as
>> well.  Then when I ran emerge again, I got even more packages that
>> have to be added.  I checked the recent news items, in case I missed
>> one or something, and I found one that I guess I thought didn't need
>> to be done right away or something.  The title of the news item is
>> Python 3.14 to become the default on 2026-06-01.  Note the date it
>> goes into effect.
>>
>> So, if someone reading this runs into this, go find that news item. It
>> seems you missed it like I did.  It's odd, usually when a news item
>> comes out, I follow it right then since I'm doing the updates anyway.
>> Something somewhere either got missed on my part or my brain just
>> didn't register it because of the future date it would happen.
>>
>> Anyway, mostly a heads up for anyone else running into this and
>> wonder, what the heck is going on.  ROFL
> I've updated a number of systems here and the python upgrade to 3.14
> took place as part of it without any issue, just by running 'emerge
> -uaNDv @world' as I usually do.  The previous python upgrade from 3.13
> was also seamlessly change managed by portage.  Each time a number of
> packages had to be rebuilt with the later python version, without manual
> intervention.  This is probably because I have not set PYTHON_TARGETS or
> PYTHON_SINGLE_TARGET in /etc/portage.
>
> Have you had bespoke python versions specified in your system?

The only times I put anything python in package.use is when a news item 
says to such as this one I'm doing now.  I do have a couple packages 
that say to use python but no versions, just python in general.  I try 
to let emerge manage most of that stuff.  I've learned that if I try to 
micromanage it, it gets mad and pukes on my keyboard, just to get even.  
LOL

I may have some packages you don't have that is throwing a wrench in the 
gear box.  That said, most of my upgrades go really smooth.


>
>> I do have one question.  I build my packages in a chroot.  I wonder
>> how I need to do that?  Can I do the whole switch in a chroot and
>> then copy the binaries over or do I need to do the first part, copy
>> the binaries over, do the second part and copy those over in two
>> separate stages? Should this be a one stage or two stage update on my
>> running OS I guess is what I'm asking.
>>
>> Dale
>>
>> :-)  :-)
> I would update/upgrade the binhost system in the chroot.  Python,
> portage and many more packages will be brought up to date.
>
> Then use the updated/upgraded binaries from you chrooted binhost to
> update the running OS as you normally do.  Run emerge with '--usepkg y'
> instead of '--usepkgonly y' so the OS can build its own packages if/when
> the chrooted binaries won't do.
>
> If you have specified some earlier python slot in either system, then
> you'd have to address this configuration as explained in the news item.
>
> That's how I would go about it, but since our Gentoo systems are not the
> same YMMV.  :-)


Well, I tried to just do the force method in the chroot and it started 
getting upset at me.  So, I went back to the section for safer upgrade, 
part one.  So now that brings me to this.  If I do the complete safer 
method within the chroot, all three python settings, can I just skip to 
the final on my regular OS install using binaries from the chroot?  My 
thinking is that it is the building process that requires python but if 
I just emerge binaries there shouldn't be any building.  I'd think it is 
safe to skip the middle stages of the process on my main install.  Then 
again, I could be wrong.  LOL

If I read your reply correctly, that is what you are saying.  I should 
be able to skip from current OS before the switch directly to new python 
after all stages of the upgrade path using binaries from the chroot.  
The key word being should of course.  ;-)

Dale

:-)  :-)