can't create software stack

[ambrosc76]

Hi,
after having to reinstall miniconda3 for system change (arch), which was successful, I can't create any software stack. It keeps falling with the following error message:

I used conda create -n astroconda python=3.9 stsci.
I get the same result when using conda create -n iraf27 python=2.7 iraf-all pyraf-all stsci

I had to skip using iraf/pyraf for a year. Last year around march I did not have any problems moving from a native 2.16.1 iraf version to astroconda using python 3.8.

The error message states that there is a problem with json.decoder as you can see here:

Am I missing something?
Creating a pipeline release and than trying to install stsci-3.0.0 results in the same error message.

I'm out of option right now

cheers,
Christian

[jhunkeler]

#714 (comment)

The Astroconda channel does not provide python 3.8+ packages.

[ambrosc76]

Does that mean, that one really needs a python 3.7 installation? Standard now is 3.9... How do I get it working than without destroying my own work that is already upgraded to 3.9?

And why isn't iraf with python 2.7 working?
python 2.7.18 from March, 15th, 2021 is installed, but it seems that create -n iraf27 python=2.7 iraf-all pyraf-all still goes for python3.9 How do I get conda to use 2.7 instead?

[ambrosc76]

ok, I downloaded miniconda3 for python 3.7 but you'll only get the 32bit version from here https://docs.conda.io/en/latest/miniconda.html. I set it up in an virtualenv like it's told here: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/7297094/proper-way-to-manage-multiple-versions-of-python-on-archlinux with python2 but used 3.7. Checked by running python ide what version is used and its 3.7.1. In that virtualenv I installed miniconda3 for python version 3.7.1 which was successful. But if I run conda create -n astroconda python=3.7 stsci I still get the same error message

json.decoder.JSONDecodeError: Expecting property name enclosed in double quotes: line 1 column 40 (char 39)

but with all mapped to python 3.7.1 so if I do understand that error message above correctly the json.decoder has a problem.

See for yourself:

For python2.7 I created a virtualenv, too. But since the results on with 3.7 aren't satisfying, I didn't give it a try

Any hints on how to fix that?

[jhunkeler]

I am not sure what's happening here. The comment I referenced in my reply instructed you to run this: conda create -n astroconda python=3.7 stsci, because Astroconda does not provide conda packages for python 3.8, or 3.9. This command creates a completely separate environment within miniconda and it will not touch, or damage, your base 3.9 environment.

Ref: https://docs.conda.io/projects/conda/en/latest/user-guide/getting-started.html#managing-python
Ref: https://docs.conda.io/projects/conda/en/latest/user-guide/concepts/environments.html
Ref: https://docs.conda.io/projects/conda/en/latest/user-guide/tasks/manage-environments.html

Please reinstall whatever 64-bit version of Miniconda you were using previously and execute the command:

conda create -n astroconda python=3.7 stsci

Ref: https://astroconda.readthedocs.io/en/latest/installation.html#standard-software-stack-without-iraf

STScI no longer supports IRAF in any capacity, sorry. NOAO stopped producing and supporting IRAF as well. If you still need it, you should check out https://iraf-community.github.io/

[ambrosc76]

I removed miniconda3 for 3.7 right now an reinstall with Miniconda2-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh. Than I entered a fresh bash and put in conda create -n astroconda python=3.7 stsc I'll get the same error as before stating: json.decoder.JSONDecodeError: Expecting property name enclosed in double quotes: line 1 column 40 (char 39).

I know that any support on IRAF 2.16.1 was stopped. I have a backup to be installed in anycase I will need it, but I wanted to got on with pyraf.
So what do I do next since I'm back where I started...

[jhunkeler]

Look at the output of conda info. If you are still running conda 4.5 then check your paths to make sure the last thing you did isn't still hanging around in your environment.

You started off with Miniconda3-4.9.2_py39, I assume. I really suggest you stick to that, and not use python 2.7 for your base installation. 2.7 is completely deprecated.

[jhunkeler]

Also http://anaconda.org is not a valid channel.
This is likely the cause of the JSONDecodeError because there's nothing to parse. You should edit your $HOME/.condarc file and remove that line.

[ambrosc76]

ok I removed the entries from .condarc. After my first installation miniconda3-4.9.2_py39 building the stack failt and I gave it a try what was written in the FAQ's under "Using a modified .condarc..."
(If our primary AstroConda channel appears to be down for longer than ten minutes, and the direct method isn’t convenient, you can add the URL to your ~/.condarc configuration.

channels:
#- http://ssb.stsci.edu/astroconda

• http://astroconda.org/channel/main
• defaults

We recommend against using the astroconda.org mirror on a regular basis.)

Since I got errors it wasn't regular basis, so I tried but it made things worse.

This time I could build the stack but pyraf had to be installed with conda install pyraf... I want to follow this tutorial https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/18231210/the-pyraf-tutorial-stsdas-stsci
the pyraf package is installed but when running pyraf I'll get:

Is there a newer tutorial which will help me switching from 2.16.1 IRAF to actual pyraf?

astroconda session ist already started.

[jhunkeler]

As far as I know the screenshot is the tutorial to get pyraf working. You would install IRAF, set up your shell environment, run mkiraf, then execute pyraf. PyRAF is a python wrapper for IRAF, not a replacement for it.

[ambrosc76]

ah ok so I have to get my iraf installation back online...
Thanks for the help so far. It's good to have you guys here.