# error: option --use-2to3 not recognized
usage: setup.py [global_opts] cmd1 [cmd1_opts]

- **ID:** `python/setuptools-option-use-2to3-removed`
- **Domain:** python
- **Category:** install_error
- **Verification:** ai_generated
- **Fix Rate:** 80%

## Root Cause

setuptools removed the 2to3 build option (deprecated since 2018, removed in setuptools 58). Old setup.py files passing use_2to3=True to setup() now fail.

## Version Compatibility

| Version | Status | Introduced | Deprecated |
|---------|--------|------------|------------|
| 3.7 | active | — | — |
| 3.8 | active | — | — |
| 3.9 | active | — | — |
| 3.10 | active | — | — |

## Workarounds

1. **** (80% success)
   ```
   pip install 'setuptools<58' wheel
pip install <old-package> --no-build-isolation
   ```
2. **** (70% success)
   ```
   # edit setup.py: remove use_2to3=True
# then
pip install . --no-build-isolation
   ```
3. **** (65% success)
   ```
   pip index versions <alternative-package>
pip install <maintained-fork>
   ```

## Dead Ends

- **** — Latest setuptools still has no 2to3 support. (90% fail)
- **** — The option was removed from setuptools, not just pip. (85% fail)
- **** — Sometimes there is no newer release; the package is abandoned. (60% fail)