CMake description of ParaView 6.x dose not match the actual requirements about Python.

Development
,
1

pvpython of ParaView 6.1 build from source code on Rocky Linux 8 doesn’t work import paraview.simple with following message.

>>> import paraview.simple
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
  File "/path/to/paraview/6.1.0/lib64/python3.6/site-packages/paraview/__init__.py", line 38
    def __call__(self, arg, /):
                            ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax
>>>

I know those the error occurs because to default Python version of RockyLinux 8 is 3.6 and “Positional-Only Parameters” is available since Python 3.8.
However, cmake enabling python had been succeeded and FindPython had said “minimum required is 3.4” in cmake was running.

I think this inconsistency should be corrected.

best regards,

2

Hi @earth2001y,

The problem concerns also VTK, we talked about that few months ago when we remove support for python wheel generated in the CI for 3.8 : https://gitlab.kitware.com/vtk/vtk/-/work_items/19748#note_1684578

I think also that we should update the minimal version, especially as it’s not tested.

@ben.boeckel @cory.quammen @mwestphal wdyt ?

2 Likes
3

Definitely, should be simple to do.

4

We’re checking on whether we have a need to support Python 3.6 and will follow up here.

2 Likes
5

Note that the policy for VTK is (as of master): 3.10 minimum tested, but patches welcome to support back to 3.4. Not dissimilar to our MinGW support policy FWIW.

6

TBH I’m not a fan of not enforcing the tested minimum. Its kinda false advertising.

7

Right now, the minimum is lifted if VTK_REMOVE_LEGACY is set. This is the last usage of the variable in VTK, so if you want to introduce a variable to replace it that defaults to “raise the minimum” so that supporting pre-3.10 is an explicit opt-in, that sounds good to me.

1 Like