pip warning on mssql-python and odbc dependency

[sravikrishna]

Recently the odbc-driver component was separated. Today pip informed of a new mssql-python-odbc driver and when I updated it, I saw this warning

[github-actions]

Hi Ravi Krishna (@sravikrishna), thank you for opening this issue!

Our team will review it shortly. We aim to triage all new issues within 24-48 hours and get back to you.

If you have additional information to share, please feel free to update the issue.

Thank you for your patience!

[jahnvi480]

Ravi Krishna (@sravikrishna) Can you please tell us which command did you run for upgrading mssql-python-odbc

[sravikrishna]

pip install -U mssql-python-odbc

[jahnvi480]

Important part: this warning is harmless. The mssql-python-odbc build you upgraded to is ABI-compatible, so mssql-python keeps working correctly. pip is only noting that the installed driver version no longer matches the exact version your currently-installed mssql-python was pinned to — it's a cosmetic dependency-resolution message, not a functional error.

A couple of things worth knowing:

• mssql-python-odbc is an internal package. It ships the ODBC Driver 18 payload and is meant to be used only by mssql-python. Please don't install or upgrade it on its own. To move to a newer driver, upgrade mssql-python instead — every mssql-python release automatically pulls in the exact mssql-python-odbc version it was built and tested against.
• Our next mssql-python release (planned for tomorrow) bumps the pin to this newer mssql-python-odbc, so once you're on that release the warning will be gone.
  If you'd like to clear the warning right now, reinstalling mssql-python will restore the matching driver version:
  pip install --force-reinstall mssql-python
  Thanks again for flagging this.

[sravikrishna]

Hi Jhanvi

I have an automated script which first finds out which pip modules are outdated by running pip list --outdated and then update it one by one. Today it reported by mssql-python-odbc as outdated, but not mssql-python. Hence it directly updated the odbc one, generating this warning.
I immediately rolled back the update and after this update from yours, I will change my script to make an exception for mssql-python-odbc and never upgrade it directly. Not an ideal solution as I have to hardcode exception , but at least it will work.

[bewithgaurav]

Ravi Krishna (@sravikrishna) you don't need a hardcoded exception. pip list --outdated --not-required only lists packages that nothing else depends on, so mssql-python-odbc drops out of your loop on its own.

$ pip list --outdated
mssql-python 1.12.0 1.13.0 wheel
mssql-python-odbc 18.6.2 18.6.2.1 wheel

$ pip list --outdated --not-required
mssql-python 1.12.0 1.13.0 wheel

why this happened & what we'll ensure going forward:

• the cause is release ordering. the driver package went ahead to pypi a couple of days ahead of the mssql-python release, 18.6.2.1 on aug 5 against 1.13.0 on aug 7
• your script ran within the gap window. going ahead, we will be collapsing that gap in release steps so they publish together (within minutes) and that gap goes away.

1.13.0 shipped aug 7 pinning 18.6.2.1, so moving mssql-python forward resolves it now:

$ pip install -U mssql-python
Successfully installed mssql-python-1.13.0 mssql-python-odbc-18.6.2.1
$ pip check
No broken requirements found.

closing the issue now, please feel free to reopen if needed

[sravikrishna]

cool. thanks Gaurav Sharma (@bewithgaurav) , I was not aware of not-required flag. Will use it.