Having Ansible pip update python package during development

Question

I have been writing some Ansible plays to setup a python virtualenv and also during development to update the python package and restart the server. I am having problems though getting pip to update a package. I don't really care how this is done, but I would prefer during development just adding the path to the python path in the virtualenv and then just restarting the server, but I haven't figured out how to do that in Ansible yet.

So my question is how can I setup a local git repo that either installs into site-packages of the virtualenv or setup Ansible to sys.path.insert the location of the repo using the correct virtualenv.

Currently I was trying to do:

sudo pip install ~/workspace/python-repo

Before I install the package I renamed a class that I have from Authenticator to something completely wrong like Authen. The class shows Authen during a fresh install. Then I change the class name back to the correct name (Authenticator), bump the version and run

sudo pip install ~/workspace/python-repo --upgrade

but after inspecting the actual file in site-packages it still shows the Authen name rather than the updated file.

How can I make this so that I use a local repo during development and get instant updated files in my environment? As well as making this a repeatable process through Ansible.

Here is what I am trying to do in Ansible. My first play is setting up the environment which I only want to run 1 time.

- name: Install python-repo
local_action: pip name=${python_root}
                  virtualenv=${working_dir}/development

${python_root} is only the location to my python project and of course the working directory is the new virtualenv setup.

Then somehow I want a development play to update the python repo in the virtualenv. This is what I have so far but this doesn't work either.

- name: Update python-repo
local_action: pip  name=${python_root}
                   virtualenv=${working_dir}/development
                   state=latest

- name: Restart services.
  local_action: service name=${item} state=restarted
  with_items: ${services} 

Answer 1

I am going to post this as the correct answer for everyone else to have a reference back to this.

Currently I have an Ansible play that sets up an environment by installing local python packages and then creating a virtualenv and installing everything into that for development. First in setting up the virtualenv and install your local git repo into the environment i use these tasks in Ansible.

- name: Source virtualenvwrapper.
  local_action: shell /usr/local/bin/virtualenvwrapper.sh 
                    executable=/bin/bash

- name: Set Enviroment to working directory.
  local_action: shell export WORKON_HOME=${working_dir}

- name: Set pip to use working virtual enviroment.
  local_action: shell export PIP_VIRTUALENV_BASE=$WORKON_HOME

- name: Create new virtualenv in development.
  local_action: pip requirements=${virtual_requirements} 
                  virtualenv=${working_dir}/development

- name: Install python-repo as editable 
  local_action: pip name=${python_root}
                  virtualenv=${working_dir}/development
                  extra_args='-e ${python_root}' 

Now I start developing and when I'm ready to test things and run it I use a different Ansible play to deploy local changes. I use these tasks.

- name: Update python-repo
  local_action: pip name=${python_root}
                  virtualenv=${working_dir}/development
                  extra_args='--upgrade'

- name: Restart services.
  local_action: service name=${item} state=restarted
  with_items: ${services}

This accepts my python updates immediately and restarts my server. I banged my head around this for a long time coming from a php development environment and only needing to press F5 to accept changes. I wanted a good python development environment and I think this is an acceptable process.