python-poetry/poetry · error · OSError

Unable to access any of {paths_csv(candidates)}

Error message

Unable to access any of {paths_csv(candidates)}

What it means

Raised as OSError in SitePackages._path_method_wrapper when every candidate path produced by make_candidates failed the requested filesystem operation (each suppressed OSError). It means the resolved destination(s) exist but the operation could not be performed on any of them.

Source

Thrown at src/poetry/utils/env/site_packages.py:204

        **kwargs: Any,
    ) -> tuple[Path, Any] | list[tuple[Path, Any]]:
        candidates = self.make_candidates(
            path, writable_only=writable_only, strict=True
        )

        results = []

        for candidate in candidates:
            with contextlib.suppress(OSError):
                result = candidate, getattr(candidate, method)(*args, **kwargs)
                if return_first:
                    return result
                results.append(result)

        if results:
            return results

        raise OSError(f"Unable to access any of {paths_csv(candidates)}")

    def write_text(self, path: Path, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Path:
        paths: tuple[Path, Any] = self._path_method_wrapper(
            path, "write_text", *args, **kwargs
        )
        return paths[0]

    def mkdir(self, path: Path, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Path:
        paths: tuple[Path, Any] = self._path_method_wrapper(
            path, "mkdir", *args, **kwargs
        )
        return paths[0]

    def exists(self, path: Path) -> bool:
        return any(
            value[-1]
            for value in self._path_method_wrapper(path, "exists", return_first=False)
        )

View on GitHub (pinned to 92b74dcfe3)

Solutions

1. Check permissions/ownership of the candidate dirs: 'ls -ld <path>' and chown/chmod as needed.
2. Prefer writable_only=True when calling make_candidates so only writable sites are attempted.
3. Recreate the venv as the same user that will run Poetry.
4. If the system env is read-only, enable a writable user-site or use a virtualenv.

Example fix

// before - purelib read-only, no writable fallback
site_packages.write_text(Path("foo.py"), "x")  # -> OSError on all

// after - target writable candidates only
site_packages.write_text(Path("foo.py"), "x")  # after fixing perms
# or ensure a writable user-site is in candidates

from poetry.utils.helpers import is_dir_writable

def any_writable_site(site_packages) -> bool:
    return any(is_dir_writable(c, create=True) for c in site_packages.candidates)

def is_unable_to_access_oserror(e: Exception) -> bool:
    return isinstance(e, OSError) and "Unable to access any of" in str(e)

try:
    site_packages.write_text(path, data)
except OSError as e:
    if "Unable to access any of" in str(e):
        # fix perms or redirect to a writable user-site
        ensure_writable(site_packages.candidates)
        site_packages.write_text(path, data)
    else:
        raise

When it happens

Trigger: Calling any SitePackages path method (write_text, mkdir, unlink, etc. via _path_method_wrapper) where each candidate directory raises OSError on the operation - e.g. permission denied, read-only filesystem, or read-only purelib with no writable fallback. Exact branch: site_packages.py:194-204.

Common situations: Writing into a read-only system site-packages with no writable user-site fallback; permission/ownership mismatch on the venv's site dir (created as root, run as user); read-only mount or container layer; out of inodes.

Related errors

• {path} is not relative to any discovered {site_type}sites
• Unable to find a suitable destination for "{path}" in {paths
• Destination <fg=yellow>{path}</> exists and is not empty. Di
• Specified path '{path}' is not a valid {'directory' if is_di

AI-assisted analysis of python-poetry/poetry@92b74dcfe3 (2026-08-04). Data as JSON: /data/errors/110a99db380ffc6a.json. Report an issue: GitHub.