nexu-io/open-design · error · ValueError

--ppt-master-python must be Python 3.10 or newer: {requested

Error message

--ppt-master-python must be Python 3.10 or newer: {requested}

What it means

Raised in humanize_ppt_v2.py when resolving `--ppt-master-python`. The resolver probes candidate Python interpreters by running a subprocess that prints its version and exits 0 only if `sys.version_info >= (3, 10)`. If the user explicitly requested an interpreter (the `requested` variable is set) and none of the probed candidates passed the version check, it raises ValueError. When no interpreter was explicitly requested, it silently falls back to ('python3', 'unverified').

Source

Thrown at plugins/community/humanize-ppt/scripts/humanize_ppt_v2.py:2654

            continue
        checked.add(resolved)
        try:
            result = subprocess.run(
                [
                    resolved,
                    "-c",
                    "import sys; print('.'.join(map(str, sys.version_info[:3]))); raise SystemExit(0 if sys.version_info >= (3, 10) else 1)",
                ],
                text=True,
                capture_output=True,
            )
        except OSError:
            continue
        if result.returncode == 0:
            return resolved, result.stdout.strip()

    if requested:
        raise ValueError(f"--ppt-master-python must be Python 3.10 or newer: {requested}")
    return "python3", "unverified"


def write_ppt_master_source(out, title, plan, source, language):
    """Write a self-contained semantic source for PPT Master's Strategist.

    PPT Master still owns design_spec/spec_lock and every native rendering
    decision. This file freezes Humanize's page story, notes intent, and media
    requirements so the downstream Strategist does not restart from raw source.
    """
    source_path = Path(source).expanduser().resolve()
    lines = [
        "# Humanize PPT → PPT Master Source Contract",
        "",
        f"- Title: {title}",
        f"- Language: {language}",
        f"- Original source: `{source_path}`",
        f"- Planned slides: {len(plan)}",

View on GitHub (pinned to 5be4028344)

Solutions

1. Point --ppt-master-python at a Python 3.10+ interpreter: install one (pyenv install 3.11, brew install python@3.12, apt install python3.11) and pass its absolute path.
2. Remove the --ppt-master-python flag to let the resolver auto-pick python3 (fallback path returns ('python3','unverified') instead of raising).
3. Verify the candidate version directly: `/path/to/python -c "import sys; print(sys.version_info >= (3,10))"` — must print True.
4. If using pyenv/conda, activate the environment first so `python3` resolves to 3.10+ before running humanize-ppt.

Example fix

// before
python3 humanize_ppt_v2.py --ppt-master-python /usr/bin/python3 --source x.md
# -> ValueError: --ppt-master-python must be Python 3.10 or newer: /usr/bin/python3

// after
pyenv install 3.11 && pyenv global 3.11  # or: brew install python@3.12
python3 humanize_ppt_v2.py --ppt-master-python $(command -v python3) --source x.md

import subprocess, sys

def python_at_least(path: str, minimum=(3, 10)) -> bool:
    try:
        r = subprocess.run(
            [path, "-c",
             f"import sys; raise SystemExit(0 if sys.version_info >= {minimum} else 1)"],
            capture_output=True,
        )
    except OSError:
        return False
    return r.returncode == 0

if args.ppt_master_python and not python_at_least(args.ppt_master_python):
    raise SystemExit(
        f"--ppt-master-python must be Python 3.10+: {args.ppt_master_python}"
    )

try:
    resolved, version = resolve_ppt_master_python(args.ppt_master_python)
except ValueError as exc:
    raise SystemExit(str(exc)) from exc

When it happens

Trigger: User passes `--ppt-master-python /usr/bin/python3.8` (or any 3.9-or-older interpreter); the candidate's version probe subprocess returns exit code 1; loop ends without a match; ValueError raised. Also fires if the requested path is valid but the version check subprocess errors out (returncode != 0) for every candidate.

Common situations: System default python3 is 3.8/3.9 (common on older Ubuntu/Debian LTS); user points at a conda/pyenv env built on an older Python; macOS where /usr/bin/python3 is older than the brew 3.x; CI matrix still pinned to 3.9.

Related errors

• last30days v3 requires Python 3.12+. Detected Python {major}
• Unknown search source: {source}
• BRAVE_API_KEY is required when web_backend='brave'
• EXA_API_KEY is required when web_backend='exa'
• SERPER_API_KEY is required when web_backend='serper'

AI-assisted analysis of nexu-io/open-design@5be4028344 (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/d6d6a94091930028. Report an issue: GitHub.