gpu_a30_picongpu.profile uses shared spack Python ennvironment

[SimeonEhrig]

If the gpu_a30_picongpu.profile is used by a user A and pypicongpu is installed via pip install -e ..., all other users which uses the same profile script will use the same pypicongpu dev version of user A. This means in practice, the Python environment of the spack package Python is shared by all users and can be modified by all users.

Instead the spack Python environment, a local Python environment should be created (e.g. with python -m venv) and used in the profile, that each user has it's own Python environment.

[SimeonEhrig]

@chillenzer The issue is urgent for @BrianMarre PhD. Can you fix it? I can try it, but I takes some time for me to introduce myself in the build setup process of PIConGPU.

[ikbuibui]

Does pip install --user not help?

[SimeonEhrig]

Maybe. I forgot how I installed pypicongpu. But let's assume it is manually done via pip. Then it does not throw a warning, that you install system-wide. It simply install the packages. The reason is, because the Python is installed via spack user. Therefore every use can do system-wide installations without root permission.

Knowing that the --user argument needs to be set does not prevent users from the mistake of forgetting it.