==============================
IMPORTANT NOTE (2020-12-16):

"pip search" is used in both the original implementation of the "Python Tools" feature in Spotfire and the original workaround (for dealing with proxies) outlined at the end of this knowledge base article's Resolution section.

"pip search" is a feature in an online Python API that was disabled this week (mid-December, 2020).  

This is discussed online at the following (non-TIBCO) website:

https://github.com/pypa/pip/issues/5216

Attempts to use "pip search" from a commands window currently fail with the following error:

-----
raise Fault(**self._stack[0])
xmlrpc.client.Fault: <Fault -32500: 'RuntimeError: This API has been temporarily disabled due to unmanageable load and will be deprecated in the near future. Please use the Simple or JSON API instead.'>
-----

IMPORTANT UPDATE:  A fix for the "pip search" issue in Python Tools has been implemented in the following Spotfire Analyst desktop client hotfixes for Spotfire 10.10 LTS and Spotfire 11.1 (released January 19, 2021):

TS_10.10.2.51 LTS HF-010
TS_11.1.0.61 HF-001

If you are using one of these releases (10.10.x or 11.1.x) with a lower client hotfix number (or no hotfix applied at all), the best way to resolve this issue is to apply the latest cumulative Spotfire client hotfix for the release you are using.



As noted in the following public knowledge base article, Spotfire Server hotfixes and Spotfire client hotfixes each have their own separate sequential numbering system.  All Spotfire hotfixes are cumulative.

https://support.tibco.com/s/article/When-applying-hotfixes-to-TIBCO-Spotfire-are-the-hotfix-numbers-for-Spotfire-Server-TSS-and-the-Spotfire-client-TS-supposed-to-match

For example, if you are running Spotfire Server 10.10.4, that does not automatically mean that you have the latest Spotfire 10.10.x client hotfix applied.

Below is a link for the list of hotfixes and the related fix details:

https://community.tibco.com/wiki/list-hotfixes-tibco-spotfire-clients-analyst-web-player-consumerbusiness-author-and-automation#toc-4

TS-65377 - In Python Tools, the Package Management tab ceased to work after removal of an underlying API at pypi.org (the Python Package Index). You would receive an error with the message 'Python Package Index is not accessible.

~~~~~~~

For Spotfire desktop clients that do not have this fix implemented (or available), you may find the following command-line workaround useful:

-------------------
Question:  What is the manual workaround for Spotfire users who need to install Python packages, without using "pip search" to find them in the Python Index?

Answer:  You need to install them by name from the command line:

1. Copy the path to Python from the Spotfire desktop client's "Tools > Python Tools" dialog.
2. Paste the copied path into a Notepad text editor.
3. Use that copied path to build a sequence of two commands like the following:

   cd <path to the folder that contains python.exe>
   python.exe -m pip install --<package name>

4. Use the Windows operating system's "cmd" command to open a Windows command prompt window.
5. Paste in the (case sensitive) commands built in step 3, then press the <Enter> key.
-------------------

An example (for installing the 'xgboost' package):

   cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\TIBCO\Spotfire\10.10.0\Modules\Modules\Python Interpreter_3.7.5.0\python"

   python.exe -m pip install --user xgboost




IMPORTANT NOTE:

The following approach will not work:

(Windows command shell: )

   python.exe

(interactive Python console session: )

   -m pip install --user xgboost


The interactive Python console session opened by a simple call to "python.exe" does not have a way to run the rest of that Windows shell command.

All of that Windows shell command must be entered at the "cmd" window's command prompt, like this:

   python.exe -m pip install --user xgboost



Additional notes:

Python is case sensitive, so that "xgboost" and "xgBoost" (for example) are not the same.

Python is a third-party product.  TIBCO does not publish Python.
==============================

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For reference, the following is the original Summary for this knowledge base article (from before the Python community's "pip search" feature was disabled):

Under some conditions, an attempt to use the Spotfire desktop client's point-and-click "Tools > Python Tools > Package Management" feature may return the following error in a pop-up window:


_____________________________________________________
Python Tools                                       x

Engine     /Package Management\
-----------------------------------------------------

Package repository not accessible

Python Package Index is not accessible.
Most functionality will be unavailable.

See logs for more information.

                                               [OK]
-----------------------------------------------------
_____________________________________________________

All supported environments

For reference, the following is the original Resolution for this knowledge base article (from before the Python community's "pip search" feature was disabled):

--

The most common cause for the "package index is not accessible" error message from Python Tools is a connectivity issue, such as a firewall, proxy, or machine security setting that prevents successful connection to the Python community's Python Package Index (PyPI) (https://pypi.org/).

Spotfire's point-and-click "Tools > Python Tools > Package Management" feature uses pip (the Python package manager) to download and install Python packages from the PyPI repository.

The "Python Tools" feature uses the following command to check the accessibility of the package index:

python -m pip search pip



(A) The first troubleshooting step for the "package index is not accessible" error is to see if you can reach the following URL from the machine that threw the error, using a web browser:

https://pypi.org/



(B) If that works, the next step is to see if the following test works, using a commands window on the same machine:

(1) Select "Tools > Python Tools" from the Spotfire desktop client's main menu
(2) In the "Python Tools" dialog, left-click on "Copy Python Interpreter Path to Clipboard"
(3) On the same machine, open a Windows command prompt (cmd) window
(4) In that cmd window, using the path pasted from the clipboard, run the following command:

<pasted path to Python> -m pip search pip

For Spotfire 10.10.0, the complete line to execute should look something like this:

"C:\Program Files\TIBCO\Spotfire\10.10.0\Modules\Python Interpreter_3.7.5.0\python\python.exe" -m pip search pip



(C) If that test fails, there is a configuration change that you can make to pip (the Python package manager) to get past it.  The Python community has documented various ways to make that change, at the following URL:

https://pip.pypa.io/en/stable/user_guide/#configuration.

The easiest way to set the configuration on a single machine would be to run the following command in the same cmd window (see the steps in section B, above):

<pasted path to Python> -m pip config set global.trusted-host pypi.org

For Spotfire 10.10.0, the complete line to execute should look something like this:

"C:\Program Files\TIBCO\Spotfire\10.10.0\Modules\Python Interpreter_3.7.5.0\python\python.exe" -m pip config set global.trusted-host pypi.org



(D) The same pip configuration page also describes various ways to set that parameter for many users:

https://pip.pypa.io/en/stable/user_guide/#configuration.

A firewall, proxy or machine security setting may cause the Spotfire desktop client's Python Tools feature to fail with the following error messages: "Package repository not accessible" "Python Package Index is not accessible" IMPORTANT NOTE (2020-12-16): Both the "Python Tools" feature in Spotfire and the workaround using "pip search" outlined in this knowledge base article depend on the ability to use "pip search". "pip search" is a feature in an online Python API that has been disabled this week. This is discussed online at the following (non-TIBCO) website: https://github.com/pypa/pip/issues/5216 Update:  A fix for the "pip search" issue in Python Tools has been implemented in the following Spotfire Analyst desktop client hotfixes for Spotfire 10.10 LTS and Spotfire 11.1 (released January 19, 2021): TS_10.10.2.51 LTS HF-010 TS_11.1.0.61 HF-001

https://pip.pypa.io/en/stable/user_guide/#configuration.

https://github.com/pypa/pip/issues/5216