Why don't 'pip show' or 'pip list' work for me?

Question

Python\'s pip is working for me to install and update packages, but some of the documented commands seem not to be supported (at least with 1.2.1 running on OS 10.8

Answer 1

Where are they documented? Mine doesn't show any such commands:

hd1 % pip help
Usage: pip COMMAND [OPTIONS]
 --version                    show program's version number and exit
 -h, --help                   Show help
 -v, --verbose                Give more output
 -q, --quiet                  Give less output
 --log <FILENAME>             Log file where a complete (maximum verbosity) record will be kept
 --proxy <PROXY>              Specify a proxy in the form user:passwd@proxy.server:port. Note that the user:password@ is optional and required only if you are behind an authenticated proxy. If you provide
                              user@proxy.server:port then you will be prompted for a password.
 --timeout <SECONDS>          Set the socket timeout (default 15 seconds)
 --exists-action <EXISTS_ACTION>
                              Default action when a path already exists. Use this option more than one time to specify another action if a certain option is not available. Choices: (s)witch, (i)gnore,
                              (w)ipe, (b)ackup

Commands available:
  bundle: Create pybundles (archives containing multiple packages)
  freeze: Output all currently installed packages (exact versions) to stdout
  help: Show available commands
  install: Install packages
  search: Search PyPI
  uninstall: Uninstall packages
  unzip: Unzip individual packages
  zip: Zip individual packages

Answer 2

The new functions you're looking for are very recent -- they're in 1.2.1.post1, but not in 1.2.1, and the docs you're probably looking at (http://www.pip-installer.org/en/latest/) are currently for 1.2.1.post1.

localhost-2:~ $ pip --version
pip 1.2.1.post1 from /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/site-packages/pip-1.2.1.post1-py2.7.egg (python 2.7)
localhost-2:~ $ pip --help
Usage: pip COMMAND [OPTIONS]

Commands:
  bundle               Create pybundles (archives containing multiple packages)
  freeze               Output all currently installed packages (exact versions) to stdout
  help                 Show available commands
  install              Install packages
  list                 List installed packages (including editables).
  search               Search PyPI
  show                 Output installed distributions (exact versions, files) to stdout
  uninstall            Uninstall packages
  unzip                Unzip individual packages
  zip                  Zip individual packages

If you want them, you can get the development version:

git clone https://github.com/pypa/pip.git

Answer 3

The available commands are as of pip 1.1 are:

• bundle: Create pybundles (archives containing multiple packages)
• freeze: Output all currently installed packages (exact versions) to stdout
• help: Show available commands
• install: Install packages
• search: Search PyPI
• uninstall: Uninstall packages
• unzip: Unzip individual packages
• zip: Zip individual packages

For a list of installed packages, try yolk.

Answer 4

As a workaround you might be able to use pip freeze.

From the help prompt:

freeze: Output all currently installed packages (exact versions) to stdout