this package is broken python3-dev

Question

Whenever I install something that requires python3-dev it shows this message:

 The following packages have unmet dependencies:

python3-dev: Depends: python3 (= 3.6.7-1~18.04) but 3.6.7-1~18.04 is installed
             Depends: libpython3-dev (= 3.6.7-1~18.04) but 3.6.7-1~18.04 is installed

How can I fix this? Running Linux mint 18 XFCE

Edit: I tried to reinstall python3 here:

lukaka@Lukaka-Minecraft-PC:~$ sudo apt-get install --reinstall python3
[sudo] password for lukaka: 
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
You might want to run 'apt --fix-broken install' to correct these.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 python3-dev : Depends: python3-distutils (>= 3.6.7-1~) but 3.6.5-3 is to be installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt --fix-broken install' with no packages (or specify a solution).

lukaka@Lukaka-Minecraft-PC:~$ sudo apt-get --fix-broken install
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  libbiblesync1.1 libgsf-1-114 libgsf-1-common libgsl23 libgslcblas0
  libirrlicht1.8 libleveldb1v5 libluajit-5.1-2 libluajit-5.1-common
  libpotrace0 libsword-common libsword11v5 linux-headers-4.15.0-34
  linux-headers-4.15.0-34-generic linux-image-4.15.0-34-generic
  linux-modules-4.15.0-34-generic linux-modules-extra-4.15.0-34-generic
  xiphos-data
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
The following additional packages will be installed:
  python3-distutils
The following packages will be upgraded:
  python3-distutils
1 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 220 not upgraded.
2 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0 B/141 kB of archives.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
Setting up python3 (3.6.7-1~18.04) ...
running python rtupdate hooks for python3.6...
E: py3compile:183: cannot create directory /usr/share/hplip/ui5/__pycache__: FileNotFoundError(2, 'No such file or directory')
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/aboutdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/aboutdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/aligndialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/aligndialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/cleandialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/cleandialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/colorcaldialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/colorcaldialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/devicesetupdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/devicesetupdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/deviceuricombobox.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/devmgr5.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/devmgr5_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/devmgr_ext.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/fabgrouptable.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/fabnametable.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/fabwindow.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/fabwindow_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/faxsetupdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/faxsetupdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/filetable.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/firmwaredialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/firmwaredialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/infodialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/infodialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/linefeedcaldialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/linefeedcaldialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/loadpapergroupbox.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/makecopiesdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/makecopiesdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/mimetypesdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/mimetypesdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/nodevicesdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/nodevicesdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/plugindiagnose.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/plugindiagnose_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/plugindialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/plugindialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/pluginlicensedialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/pluginlicensedialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/pqdiagdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/pqdiagdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/printdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/printdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/printernamecombobox.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/printsettings_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/printsettingsdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/printsettingsdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/printsettingstoolbox.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/printtestpagedialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/printtestpagedialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/queuesconf.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/readonlyradiobutton.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/sendfaxdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/sendfaxdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/settingsdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/settingsdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/setupdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/setupdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/setupdialog_base5.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/systemtray.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/systrayframe.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/systrayframe_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/ui_utils.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/upgradedialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/upgradedialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/wifisetupdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/wifisetupdialog_base.py'
error running python rtupdate hook hplip-data
dpkg: error processing package python3 (--configure):
 installed python3 package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 4
Errors were encountered while processing:
 python3
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
lukaka@Lukaka-Minecraft-PC:~$ 

Answer 1

You can try to install package libpython3-dev instead of installing package python3-dev.

In my case, I tried to install webrtcvad througn pip, but I got compilation error

> cbits/pywebrtcvad.c:1:10: fatal error: Python.h: No such file or directory

I searched the web and was suggested to install package python3-dev.

But I encountered exactly the same error installing python3-dev.

After installing libpython3-dev, I finished the installation of webrtcvad via pip successfully.

Hope it can help you.