Python xattr module error

[borgo1971]

Seems I unable to troubleshoot the following issue, that appeared after I upgraded MacPorts (on my MacPro with Monterey):

studio@macpro::~ % curl -O -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/munki/macadmin-scripts/main/installinstallmacos.py && sudo python installinstallmacos.py
% Total % Received % Xferd Average Speed Time Time Time Current
Dload Upload Total Spent Left Speed
100 26241 100 26241 0 0 198k 0 --:--:-- --:--:-- --:--:-- 208k
This tool requires the Python xattr module. Perhaps run pip install xattr to install it.
studio@macpro::~ % pip install xattr
Requirement already satisfied: xattr in /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.12/lib/python3.12/site-packages (1.1.0)
Requirement already satisfied: cffi>=1.16.0 in /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.12/lib/python3.12/site-packages (from xattr) (1.16.0)
Requirement already satisfied: pycparser in /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.12/lib/python3.12/site-packages (from cffi>=1.16.0->xattr) (2.22)
studio@macpro::~ % python ./installinstallmacos.py --help
This tool requires the Python xattr module. Perhaps run pip install xattr to install it.
studio@macpro::~ %

Another question: why can we have only the latest version of BigSur and instead of Catalina, as many as 5 or 6 versions are listed?

[borgo1971]

Maybe I solved the issue above removing all entities of python, installing latest python from homebrew (3.12.3) and from GUI (3.12.4) and last, linking python3 in /usr/local/bin as python. Not sure If I needed all this, and which was the step that solved the issue, but now your script works again.
But but I still can't get a version of BigSur other than the last one, while there are as many as 8 of Catalina!

   ProductID    Version    Build   Post Date  Title

1 061-26578 10.14.5 18F2059 2019-10-14 macOS Mojave
2 061-26589 10.14.6 18G103 2019-10-14 macOS Mojave
3 041-91758 10.13.6 17G66 2019-10-19 macOS High Sierra
4 041-88800 10.14.4 18E2034 2019-10-23 macOS Mojave
5 041-90855 10.13.5 17F66a 2019-10-23 Install macOS High Sierra Beta
6 061-86291 10.15.3 19D2064 2020-03-23 macOS Catalina
7 001-04366 10.15.4 19E2269 2020-05-04 macOS Catalina
8 001-15219 10.15.5 19F2200 2020-06-15 macOS Catalina
9 001-36735 10.15.6 19G2006 2020-08-06 macOS Catalina
10 001-36801 10.15.6 19G2021 2020-08-12 macOS Catalina
11 001-51042 10.15.7 19H2 2020-09-24 macOS Catalina
12 001-57224 10.15.7 19H4 2020-10-27 macOS Catalina
13 001-68446 10.15.7 19H15 2020-11-11 macOS Catalina
14 042-45246 11.7.10 20G1427 2023-09-11 macOS Big Sur
15 052-62010 14.4 23E214 2024-03-07 macOS Sonoma
16 052-60128 13.6.5 22G621 2024-03-07 macOS Ventura
17 052-60131 12.7.4 21H1123 2024-03-18 macOS Monterey
18 052-77516 14.4.1 23E224 2024-04-01 macOS Sonoma
19 052-64249 13.6.6 22G630 2024-04-01 macOS Ventura
20 062-01946 14.5 23F79 2024-05-20 macOS Sonoma
21 052-96238 12.7.5 21H1222 2024-05-20 macOS Monterey
22 052-96247 13.6.7 22G720 2024-05-20 macOS Ventura

Choose a product to download (1-22):

[gregneagle]

The script parses Apple's softwareupdate catalog. What is advertised there is under Apple's control. I agree that what's there doesn't make a lot of sense or show a lot of consistency, but that's on Apple. I personally only use the tool to download new macOS releases, so what's in the catalog works OK for me.

[welby12]

I was running into the same issue on Ventura. Homebrew installs python3 and pip3 by default when you run brew install python

I ran pip3 install xattr and it shows as installed, but still got this error:

This tool requires the Python xattr module. Perhaps run pip install xattr to install it.

Frustrated, I removed lines 45 to 50 of installinstallmacos.py, and the script appears to work fine now.

Not sure what the function of xattr is, but appears to not be needed the way I am using the script (with no flags).

[gregneagle]

https://github.com/munki/macadmin-scripts/blob/main/installinstallmacos.py#L636-L644

If you never download a macOS installer from one of the Seed Programs, you won't need the xattr module.