Add --path to pip freeze to support --target installations

[lkollar]

pip freeze does not support installations in a target directory. This change adds the --path argument to pip freeze to enable this functionality.

Closes: #6404

[uranusjr]

I understand the option matches install, but pip freeze --target could be confusing. It reads like “freeze the environment into the target location” to me. The idea of freezing a directory is quite good though!

[lkollar]

How about something like -d/--directory or -p/--path?

Another option would be to take one or more paths as positional arguments. So omitting that (the current behaviour) freeze takes the current environment, otherwise the specified locations. It changes the semantics of pip freeze somewhat though, so it could be confusing as well.

[uranusjr]

-d would work for me, but this will need to be decided by a pip maintainer 😃 (maybe they will decide --target is good enough!)

[lkollar]

Changed the argument from --target to --path.

[cjerdonek]

Thanks, @lkollar. This PR is well done. I have a few simple suggestions.

Also, @uranusjr, do you have any further comments?

[cjerdonek]

I would end this with "(can be used multiple times)", and then end with a period. I also think it might be clearer to begin the sentence with "Restrict to the ..." or "Use only ..." to make clear that these paths aren't being considered in addition to what is already considered.

[cjerdonek]

Here is a slight rewording that I think might be better: "Add a --path argument to pip freeze to support --target installations."

[cjerdonek]

Thanks for the update! A couple clarifications of my previous comments.

[lkollar]

@cjerdonek sorry, I misunderstood your first round of comments on the tests. Submitting another fixup to correct these.

[xavfernandez]

Since pip freeze and pip list --format=freeze produce almost the same result, maybe pip list should also gain the same argument ?

[cjerdonek]

@xavfernandez That sounds good. Are you okay with that being handled by a different issue / PR though?

[xavfernandez]

@xavfernandez That sounds good. Are you okay with that being handled by a different issue / PR though?

Sure

[cjerdonek]

Thanks for all your good work on this, @lkollar, and for your patience since PyCon. :) Looks great! 👍