Cannot import tkinter after installing Python 3 with pyenv

Question

I got problems with importing tkinter after installing Python version 3.4.2 with pyenv. My system Python is version 2.7.6. I am using Ubuntu 14.04. For the following sample script t.py:

import _tkinter

print ("Hello")

I get:

$ pyenv global system
$ python --version
Python 2.7.6
$ python t.py
Hello
$ pyenv global 3.4.2
$ python --version
Python 3.4.2
$ python t.py
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "t.py", line 3, in <module>
    import _tkinter
ImportError: No module named '_tkinter'
    Traceback (most recent call last):
      File "t.py", line 3, in <module>
        import _tkinter
    ImportError: No module named '_tkinter'

Note that pyenv installed Python version 3.4.2 in ~/.pyenv/versions/3.4.2/.

Don't import private modules unless you know what you're doing. — simonzack, Oct 14 '14 at 09:57
In this case yes, names prefixed with `_` mean private as a convention. — simonzack, Oct 14 '14 at 10:01
I just followed the instructions at https://wiki.python.org/moin/TkInter .. It says you should first try to import `_tkinter`.. and importing `tkinter` without underscore does not work either.. — Håkon Hægland, Oct 14 '14 at 10:02
You probably didn't use pyenv correctly then. Hard to tell why though, maybe try this without pyenv? — simonzack, Oct 14 '14 at 10:14

score 34 · Accepted Answer · edited Jul 08 '15 at 17:07

34

This problem seems to be solved now using the approach described in this post:

First uninstall Python 3.4.2 : pyenv uninstall 3.4.2, then
Run sudo apt-get install tk-dev
And reinstall Python 3.4.2 : pyenv install 3.4.2

edited Jul 08 '15 at 17:07

blueyed

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answered Oct 14 '14 at 10:34

Håkon Hægland

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2

In Centos, you have to install `tkinter` using this command: `sudo yum install python34-tk*` – Ala' Alnajjar Mar 22 '16 at 14:33
1

Awesome! No need to set env variables! – Fábio May 19 '21 at 13:47
1

This worked for me although I don't understand why I have to uninstall python and then install tk and then reinstall – user1099123 Dec 23 '21 at 10:05
on Arch, this procedure with `sudo pacman -S tk` did the trick for me (Python 3.9.12 via pyenv). – FObersteiner Apr 24 '22 at 14:29

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 29 '20 at 20:13

1

For MacOS you can try installing tcl-tk via homebrew and then activating the env. vars. mentioned in its caveats section, as detailed in this answer.

answered Feb 29 '20 at 20:13

Carl G

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score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 14 '14 at 09:54

0

Change your code to:

import tkinter

Documentation link:

Most of the time, tkinter is all you really need, but a number of additional modules are available as well. The Tk interface is located in a binary module named _tkinter. This module contains the low-level interface to Tk, and should never be used directly by application programmers. It is usually a shared library (or DLL), but might in some cases be statically linked with the Python interpreter.

answered Oct 14 '14 at 09:54

avi

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It still does not work. See step 1 at https://wiki.python.org/moin/TkInter . It says you should first try to import `_tkinter`.. – Håkon Hægland Oct 14 '14 at 09:57
@HåkonHægland That's for testing the install. – simonzack Oct 14 '14 at 10:02
@simonzack Yes that was exactly what I was trying to do.. testing the install.. I never use `import _tkinter` in my regular code.. – Håkon Hægland Oct 14 '14 at 10:26

Cannot import tkinter after installing Python 3 with pyenv

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